


Truth Hurts

by denkiai



Series: The Fight Within (Halloween theory) [1]
Category: Halloween (1978), Halloween (2018), Halloween Movies - All Media Types
Genre: Debra Hill, F/M, Halloween, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter - Freeform, Nick Castle, Tony Moran, theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 14:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 71,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18896806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denkiai/pseuds/denkiai
Summary: Some say our lives were planned from the second we were born, some believe fate changes everything. If any of that were true, then why did it all come to this? Why this pain and retribution?A theory following the events of Halloween (1978) to Halloween (2018).





	1. Empty Hearts

**“Laurie Strode. Age fifty-seven and the only survivor on Halloween night of 1978.** Body count of four, all except one of the deaths relating to Strode. Friends Annie Brackett and Bob Simms murdered by stab wounds from a kitchen knife except for van der Klok, who was strangled to death,” the resonant voice echoed. With a deep breath, the figure moved forward and wordlessly sat himself in front of the victim. There was only an impenetrable silence that made the other cold on the inside, terrified of what could be discovered. “All of these deaths, all committed in a deliberate manner, made you suffer and to this day, you never disclose why.” The officer stared the elder in-front of him down as if he were looking into her being. “You were a target and forty years later the statement still stands. Your granddaughter, Allyson, was targeted because she has your blood. Your daughter, Karen, was targeted because she has your blood. You are the driving force, yet you refuse to answer when asked why.”

The man imploringly leaned forward, and his dark eyes met the woman's. Again, a moment of silence, the woman's heartbeat being the only sound in the room.

“Now I will ask you one last time, Ms. Strode. What is your connection to Michael Audrey Myers? Why has he targeted you and nobody else from 1978 to today?”

The woman's white and grey locks reflected the harsh lighting of the room and she nervously gulped. “I told you. There is nothing. I was just a haphazard victim that night and to this day. We were never related, we never spoke. I never knew his name until then. _I don't know him_ ,” her raspy, aged voice came out in a fit of vexation. She tried to keep herself composed, but without a drink it was a hard task. She was left feeling defenseless.

The male shook his head—not because he was upset, but because she was lying; he knew the truth but needed the woman to say it. He placed his hand on the table, his darker skin contrasting with the pale surface. “Are you trying to run away from, I don't know, something that happened? Was there a regret or decision made that you try to deny?”

Laurie turned her head from the man’s gaze and her heart descended into waves of panic and post-traumatic stress. She wanted this to end, all of it, because she coveted escape from what ruined her life. “No. I only regret not killing him when I had the chance.” Her shoes nervously dug into the floor as she finished giving her finest lie. There were things only she knew, things that could affect her and her family in many ways, and she had succeeded in hiding them for so long. Until now.

“The file please!” The man turned towards the door, awaiting someone to hand him what she never wanted to see nor hear again.

Laurie shuddered, a chill running down her spine as the other officer opened the door. He handed the man a neat file, inside of which lay many papers, the most notable feature was the familiar handwriting on the front. The woman was disturbed by it. She wasn't sure of what tightly clutched secret was contained within.

“Thank you, officer.” He gave a content smile, then looked to the woman again as if to give her another chance. But Laurie didn't say a word. She remained seated and stared at the file in horror. “Do you know what this is?”

“No.” Her response was plain and simple, unlike the feeling she held inside.

The man smiled slyly. “Well, this here is a confidential file from Doctor Samuel Loomis that we now have authority to open.” He looked to the paper, then to Laurie and wasn't startled to see a petrified expression fill her features.

The doctor had known everything about the two and Laurie wanted to run as far as she could from the vacant room. She had just mended her relationship with her daughter and Allyson needed her as a grandmother. If they even knew, the wounds would be deeper than they were before.

“Let's take a look, shall we?” While flipping the file open, he deeply inhaled, preparing to interrogate the woman about the questions never answered. He began to read and look through photos, some of which were a six-year-old Michael, some of which were Laurie's school photos. The file had copies of birth certificates, letters, medical histories, and plenty of notes from Loomis himself.

The woman knew it was all in there.

The sheriff hummed and finally found the place where he wanted to begin. He cackled. “You aren't the best liar, but I'll give you credit for keeping this secret for all these years. Doctor Loomis was very protective of these records.”

Laurie shook her head and ran a hand through her coarse hair. She didn't want to address this, she began to believe she wouldn't have to, but it was too critical to miss. This information was everything. “He would never have let you get your hands on those files if he were still around.” Laurie lifted her head and leaned in, looking at the file for a minute then to the officer. “I don't care what happens to me, but I do care about what happens to my family. They must never know.”

The officer shook his head in disagreement. “They have a right to know. You realized that the moment you had your daughter.” He leaned back, continuing to glare. “I want to know everything from your perspective to help us decipher the mystery of Michael. You are the only one who ever solved that mystery.”

Strode looked away. Why had it come to this? If she had known from the start where this journey would end, she never would have embarked upon it. There were so many regrets, but there were also great things that came out of it all. She shook her head and a burning tear trailed down her wrinkled cheek. The woman looked back to the officer again, not caring if he saw her cry. “I never did. I just got the closest to solving it.”

 

✳✳✳

_April 7 th, 1978_

 

It was pleasant to feel a warm breeze in the air after the cold season, and that was especially true of the north, more specifically Illinois, Haddonfield, Illinois, where nothing happened apart from ordinary life. The teens thought life was some joke and partook in drugs and sex for kicks as if they were experiencing the prime of it. Consequently, the ‘good’ kids were stereotyped as some lame nerds who couldn't define the word fun.

The young Laurie Strode knew she was one of those kids because she was told so, but she could never risk the chance of a good career and education. Her girlfriends Annie and Lynda always had a way of patronizing her and trying to get her to just once let go of her fears and ambitions in return for fun and a chance at love. She prized the premise of love but hadn't experienced it; she had too many responsibilities, but despite not coming across it, her mind was mature and better equipped for romance than any of her friends who had it.

Laurie looked at herself in the mirror and ran a brush through her hair with haste. She looked as if she had a rough night, but the reality was she had been worrying herself to death over a test. The teen had her own anxieties about imperfections, and it was about the only thing that made her envy apathetic people like Lynda or Annie.

“Laurie! Breakfast is on the table!” her mother called up the stairs with a sing-song voice.

“Coming!” she yelled back, immediately snapping out of her thoughts. She pulled up her stockings and slung a worn-out bag over her shoulder. Her mind raced to her plans for the day and all the tests she studied for; junior year was important because she had to begin college with a good foundation. Come fall, she would be a senior and preparing to become a college student. Her parents expected everything of her and made sure she was well off, in return, she was able to enjoy the freedom that came with their conviction. The girl hobbled down the stairs at a slow pace, wishing she had gotten at least another hour of sleep.

“Eggs and toast today.” Her mom smiled as she placed a pan in the sink, sensing her daughter walking into the kitchen.

She was a beautiful woman, Pamela Strode. Her hair was a brown and blonde mix, something Laurie inherited, and she had green eyes. The woman was much like her daughter when she was younger and for that reason, few things separated them. What made them so different? Less was expected of her as a teen which left her bored. Her family never expected her to go to college, they just wanted her to marry well and become a mom—it was why she pushed Laurie to be more independent and less of a traditional stay-at-home woman. Suddenly, footsteps and the clinking of bags and briefcases interrupted her from saying any more.

“They smell wonderful honey,” a voice intruded from the hall and walked towards the table, “they look wonderful too!” The man averted his eyes to a large bag, attempting to find a document he was missing and had been complaining about all morning.

Laurie smiled. Her dad was scurrying to leave the house as per usual.

Her father, Morgan Strode, was the definition of a true businessman, something that was admirable by just about anyone. Had Laurie not known him as her father, she'd think of him as a true authority figure. Morgan was the owner of the well-known Strode Real Estate Company. His job was to negotiate with customers constantly about renting, selling, or buying property in all of Illinois. Because the firm was so widely known in the state, it kept him busy, but the girl was proud of her dad nonetheless. She had nothing but love in her heart for her family, to which some of her peers may have found odd.

“Thought you hated anything that didn't include bacon,” the girl joked.

“Food is food, darling, and I'm starving.” He sat down and looked at his plate, promptly dipping his near burnt toast into his fried egg—just how he liked his breakfast. Usually he'd have the daily paper in his hand or talk about the stock market. Current events always interested him as well as useless trivia, but today he was too rushed to bother. Morgan looked to his daughter chewing her breakfast and tried to think of a way to start a conversation. “Hey, don't you start your volunteer program today?”

Laurie nodded her head. The teen signed up to be a candy-striper as they called it, not only because of her National Honors Society membership, but the medical field was something she had been ruminating for a bit. “Yeah, right after school. Annie might drive me over to the hospital.”

“How exciting! What made you interested, hon?” her mom questioned as she slid her chair in and picked up her fork with the natural grace she possessed.

The girl shrugged and stood, walking her plate to the sink so she could escape the talk of the future. It was undoubtedly fun to discuss, but she wasn't in the mood to talk let alone brag about herself. “Just interested me. Couldn't do any harm learning I guess.” The teen pulled her short locks behind an ear and slid her navy bag on her shoulder, indicating she wanted to take off to evade further questioning. “I gotta go, love you both, tell you more about it later.” Laurie kissed her mother and father's cheeks and proceeded to walk out.

Once out of the home, Laurie breathed in the spring air with confidence and began her venture to Haddonfield High School: the cesspool of pubescent teens. The girl looked to the sky and wondered what she would be doing in the afternoon and if she would be the only young girl working. Laurie knew she would have to provide support for others but what made her curious was what the patients needed from people like her. Did hospitals give people that much fear or loneliness to need volunteers in addition to staff? She wondered if she'd be able to help a patient.

Minutes went by and she began to feel a warm rush in the air as the sun became more prominent. Sometimes she didn't want to be alone, but presently she didn't mind it. Laurie never knew if she was lonely in the sense she wanted someone who could relate to her or lonely in the sense she had no one to escape with, but she was patient and that made her different.

“Laurie! Laurie!” a younger voice screamed a couple blocks later, nearly making her shriek.

That fear immediately dissipated once she realized it was just Tommy Doyle, whom she babysat more times than she could count. Before she could make small talk with him, she became skeptical. He never came to visit her at this time. “Tommy! You don't go to school this early, what are you doing?” she asked, assuming he was just eager to see her. The boy looked up to her as a big sister, afterall.

“I know, I know, but I had to tell you about my _Lego_ set I got,” he said with a cheeky grin, reaching out to grab onto the sleeve of her sweater to catch up. “It's an exclusive _Star Wars_ set! I have almost all the pieces assembled but I need help with the other pieces, can you _pleaaaase_ help?” he begged, knowing very well she would regardless of his pleading.

Laurie nodded her head and put her hand on his shoulder. “Sure. This weekend. It's a date.” The teen looked at the mischievous face staring back at her and arched a brow. “What's that look for, Tommy?” After an extended silence she stopped in her tracks and stared him down. “What did you do?” Laurie insisted.

The emerald eyes stared back at her in distress. “I begged my mom to get me it...and I stole a piece from Lonnie,” he trailed as he looked away in shame.

Lonnie was a bully to exclusively Tommy, for other kids didn't believe his ludicrous stories except the gullible Tommy Doyle. Laurie felt sorry for the boy, but at the same token wanted him to not fall for such tricks or pranks by standing up for himself.

“Tommy! What were you thinking? You can't just steal from people! You need to return those pieces to the poor boy and apologize.” Strode shook her head and continued to walk, but before she could get more of her lecture in, the boy interjected.

“But Lonnie ripped my homework a couple days ago! He told Keith and Richie to rip it too and I had to do it all over again,” he huffed and grabbed the girl's sleeve tighter.

Laurie stopped and kneeled to face him, arousing anxiety in the boy. “I tell you what,” she sighed, “you can keep the pieces as long as you stand up to Lonnie and his friends or tell your teacher if he picks on you again. Nothing's going to change if you don't talk to them, just don't tell anyone you have the pieces. It'll be our secret, okay?” Laurie smiled as the boy held out his hand and they shook on it. It wasn't necessarily teaching him to steal, just persuading him to make better decisions for himself. “Now you better be getting to school, my stop is right along here.” She only had a few more minutes before she would be at the door of the school and take the cursed tests she lost sleep over.

“Okay! Thanks Laurie! See ya!” he waved, his voiced saturated with relief. The boy ran as if the devil were chasing him which led Laurie to giggle. To be a fifth-grader again, where stealing a Lego was one's biggest problem.

“Bye!” She turned around. _Good talk_. Before she realized, she was at the door of Haddonfield High and walked in, desperate to finish the day before it began.

 

✳✳✳

 

“I mean I'm just saying! If he wanted to go to the dinner with me, he would have! But no, the selfish bastard left me high and dry with stupid Bennett Tramer! I thought he loved me but apparently all men are cheaters!” Lynda nearly screeched, unable to contain her emotions. She had a habit of making her business the whole school's and no one could tell if she was truly angry or craved attention.

“Good god Lynda, isn't this like the fifth time you've fallen for Robert?” Annie harshly inquired as she took a puff off her cigarette. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the blonde. It was genuinely embarrassing to be around Lynda when she was distraught over some guy drama.

“Well did he actually tell you he was going to be there, or did you assume he'd go?” Laurie asked, taking a slow bite out of her sandwich. They elected on sitting outside for lunch but the pleasure of it wasn't lasting, as her overt friends had a way of ruining the time with idle chatter.

“I mean...I thought he was going to go. I told him to be there!” She sighed, aggravated that her friend always proved her wrong. “Damn you, Laurie! You know, it doesn't even matter, if you weren't so much an introvert you'd understand.” A pout rested on her face as she took a drag off Annie's cigarette.

Perhaps she was bookish, but she embraced it. Laurie never took offense to what her friends said because she accepted she was a different breed than them. “Yeah? Well good luck. Besides, Bennett Tramer is a better guy than any one you've fallen for,” the girl refuted, elated at the defeated look of the other. When Annie offered her a puff she refused, thinking only about her innocent crush on Tramer.

“Hey, Miss Goody Two Shoes, still need a ride today?” the dark brunette asked, stomping out the cancer stick while zipping her backpack full of loose papers.

Annie was sarcastic, hasty, and undoubtedly an edgier personality despite her father being a well-respected cop. The girl didn't believe in bras (whether to make a statement or show off, no one knew). Her two friends couldn't help but wonder why or even how she hadn't been busted for smoking joints in her mom's car numerous times. She babysat most nights just like Laurie, but it was a natural occurrence for her to become lazy and just give the kid to Laurie so she could be with her friends. Annie always kept the cash, though.

“I do, actually,” Laurie replied, tapping her patent shoes against the cement.

“Why aren't you just going to be a realtor? I mean if I had a family-owned company, I'd stick with that,” Annie said as if she were judging her friend's entire life decisions—which she was. “What are you gonna do? Be a nurse your whole life? Boring!”

The girl almost felt offended, _almost_. “Well if you must know, I am interested in being a psychiatrist. Real estate doesn't appeal to me, it's just something my dad's good at, always has been.”

“Why would you want to fix people's problems for them? I mean aren't their issues their responsibility?” Lynda asked innocently, not knowing much about the topic. She pulled her bleach blonde hair back and tied it into a single ponytail rather than her signature pigtails.

“Wow, I just keep underestimating how much of a dumbass you are! What if someone was a psychopath, huh?” Annie shook her head. The teen had her own concerns about people like that—murderers, rapists, any person looking for trouble—and she blamed that on her dad's many repulsive stories. He worked in Columbus, Ohio years back, but they eventually moved to Peoria then to Haddonfield.

“Oh, screw you! I didn't think about it, okay?” Lynda's words came out sarcastic, never giving any thought to them. “I think it's a wonderful idea, Laurie.” She gave a toothy grin as if to comfort her. The girl, too, was a unique character: a boy-crazy vacuous cheerleader but overall love-able.

“You never think, and the bell is going to ring soon so I'm leaving, losers. To my car immediately after class Laurie!” Annie demanded as she grabbed her books and skipped off toward kids with an over-sized boom box.

“Guess I should get going too.” Laurie lazily stood and said her goodbyes to Lynda before strolling to her English class. It was only two more hours until she would be out, then she could get her first day of volunteering done and catch up on some much-needed rest. Until then, _Lord of the Flies_ would have to be her focus.

Once Laurie reached class, she tiredly dragged herself in with hopes she’d be left alone to daydream. The girl sat at her desk and grabbed her book, cracking it open to catch sentences she found important. When she focused, she could make sense of everything, but she was too fatigued to even comprehend the dialogue; anarchy was the only thing she was prepared to discuss if asked. In the meantime, her mind refocused itself to Lynda and Bennett Tramer. Strode was quite fond of the boy. He was decent looking and, above all, kind—sentiments which weren't reflected in her friend's account. If she weren't so shy, she'd approach him.

 

✳✳✳

 

Another hour disguised as an eternity passed until she was finally able to dash to Annie's crimson Monte Carlo. Without stopping at her locker, she packed her bag and made it to the vehicle where her friend impatiently waited. She slid herself into the leather seat and wasn't the least bit surprised to hear some Rolling Stones song at the highest possible volume. Her car had a completely red interior and smelled heavily of tobacco and marijuana.

“1964 British number one single,” Annie smiled and turned the key in the ignition, causing the car to growl. “ _It's All Over Now_ ,” she sang along and began to pull out of the parking lot.

“1964? That was 13 years ago, you old dog,” Laurie suddenly erupted in a giggle. It wasn't that she minded, she just thought Annie was a Queen fanatic. The girl was single-minded when it came to bands.

“Says the girl who listens to Elvis _STILL_.” Annie shook her head. She thought about it for a moment and looked over at her friend, immediately taking notice in the subtle pink around her eyes. “God, you look exhausted,” she remarked without any second thought.

That perfectly described her personality: unfiltered, for better or worse.

The teen pulled out of the school parking lot and began to venture toward the hospital. Annie was immensely aware of Laurie's want to make the best of her life and the peculiar interest she held in school, but she was more aware of what it cost her. “I know you like to get things done all the time, but you should start taking time for yourself,” Brackett expressed in concern, making it apparent she was expecting an answer.

Strode nervously grabbed her hair and played around with it. It wasn't a big deal to her, so she didn't know why Annie was making it one. Besides, it was her problem, she would be able to take care of herself. “And do what? I don't want to party, or smoke pot all day.”

“That's not what I meant. That's not what always happens, you know.” Annie shrugged. “People do things like go on road trips, go far out to see new things, get a sloppy burger with their friends just because they can.” The girl's dark curls flew with the steady rhythm of the wind and her eyes remained on the empty road. Annie began to whistle to a song to distract herself on the rather long ride. It wasn't until a very silent thirty minutes later that she finally saw the building in the distance.

“Hey, looks like we're just about there.”

Laurie looked ahead, folding her arms as the air got cooler. She had to work there for the next month or so but had a feeling it wouldn't be anything like a job, just something to keep her busy and out of the house. “Ever do this candy striper thing?” Her words came out soft, almost as if she were embarrassed to ask.

“Can't say I have, I'm not really a community-giver like you. I know a lot who have, though. Tell you something, if you see my grandma you'll be in for a ride, her jokes are just delightful.” Annie shook her head and pulled into the parking lot of the two-story building. “Some NHS girl had her last year and she practically told the chick her whole life story.”

Laurie laughed, not understanding why something as trivial as that would upset her. “Cut her some slack! She's a sweet woman who probably gets sick of watching TV all the time.” Laurie knew Annie's grandmother had been dealing with sickness for the past couple of years, so her friend was well acquainted with the place. She glanced to the building and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the main entrance. “I think this is my stop,” Laurie blurted as she grabbed her backpack.

The curly-haired girl pulled up to entrance and unlocked her doors. She watched as her friend stood and slung her bag hurriedly over her shoulder. Annie knew she was anxious. The door shut and she gave a smirk. “Good luck, you candy stripper!”

The sarcastic scream was loud enough to address all of Illinois and Laurie wanted nothing more than to shrivel up and disappear.

“Thanks for the ride, Brackett! Better hope I don't get your grandma to tell me stories!” Strode cautioned, staring at the two grey doors in front of her. The sudden roar of the car indicated the other had taken off, leaving her to her task. Taking in a deep breath, Laurie walked past the doors and into the building, immediately introduced to the medicinal, antiseptic smell of the place. It took her a second before she saw the main desk, but once she found it, she paced over to the brunette receptionist wearing a crisp, white uniform complete with a dark cape. “Hi, I'm here on behalf of the volunteering group from Haddonfield High.” The teen plastered a smile on her face and made her speech as respectful as possible to give the nurse a good impression.

The woman looked ahead to the blonde girl before her. She took a moment to think, but then became joyous and nodded, giving a warm grin in return. “Wonderful! You guys are always needed around here, nice to have you.” The nurse kneeled behind the desk while making small talk with the girl. She grabbed a clipboard full of dates and names and clicked her pen.

Marion Chambers was the woman's name. She had a soft face that held angelic qualities and was gentle in her demeanor.

“Name, hon?”

“Laurie. Laurie Strode.”

The woman in-front of her flipped through her charts and made a satisfied hum once she found her name. “Come with me, Laurie, and we'll get you started.” Marion took her clipboard with her and chewed a piece of gum at an abnormally fast rate, leading Laurie to believe the nurse was a heavy smoker. “We've had some girls come in lately, it's exciting to know they still have an interest in this field. Smith's Grove is out of the Haddonfield area, what made you choose us?”

The younger eagerly followed and continued to inspect the overly-white themed building. “I was kind of interested in psychology and found it was practiced here. I've been wanting to study it for a while now.” She was surprised when the woman gave an excited gasp in return.

“Well, lucky you! We need another assistant in the sanitarium wing! Mind if I talk to my colleague about it? I'd love to have you start there today if I can!” It wasn't often Marion met girls aspiring to be something other than a nurse and she'd never met one interested in psychology.

“Not at all!” Strode replied cheerily, following her into an elevator she assumed was going to take them to the wing. “How many doctors work in the sanitarium?” she asked out of curiosity, assuming it wasn't a sought-after occupation given the lack of them.

“As of now five. Each one deals with more than one patient. Our lead psychiatrist is Doctor Samuel Loomis, my advisor and colleague, and his work is wonderful; the man has studied for years.” Marion grew enthusiastic speaking of him and led the girl out of the elevator and into an even longer hall.

Laurie saw doors, and many of them. Each were painted a pastel green and had large locks, convincing her they made sure these patients were secured very well. It didn't scare her as much as confuse her—if they were being watched in a secure facility, why would they need to forbid leaving their room? When she thought of a psych ward, she just thought of older people that lost touch with reality or had a hard time comprehending it. Laurie was going to continue walking, but the nurse abruptly stopped in front of a man shorter than her. This man held a stern look. His blue eyes were like ice and his wrinkles showed his age as well as his bald top. He was very much a sturdy and competent man, Laurie could tell without a word escaping his mouth. It must have been Doctor Loomis, whom the nurse kept gushing about.

“Doctor Loomis, meet Laurie Strode. Laurie, meet Doctor Loomis.” Marion gave a warm smile, though couldn’t help but worry her colleague wouldn’t approve of the girl.

The man looked to Laurie in apprehension and held his hand out, firmly shaking hers. Her face was nearly blinding to him; it was one of beauty and grace but held depth. The Doctor felt as if he knew her and did not. “A pleasure to meet you. What brings you here?”

“I'm here as a volunteer.” Laurie gently took her hand back in concern and cleared her throat. She felt conflicted and wondered if she should trust him or fear him. Loomis seemed paranoid, untrusting of the world. If psychology meant being traumatized, she suddenly didn't want any part of it.

“She's interested in psychology as well and we need help up here, so why not let her assist?” Marion questioned, trying to convince him.

This made Laurie doubtful. Why would he deny help? What drove him to become so uneasy?

Nurse Chambers knew the answer. The Doctor was possessive of the wing because he didn't want someone to escape. That someone would be a patient of fourteen years: Michael Audrey Myers, who haunted the man from the moment he attempted to treat him.

Loomis bit his tongue and stared at the sterling teen. He wasn't sure what to do with the scenarios of Michael hurting her or other staff in his head. The thoughts of the disturbed male were unrelenting.

Michael Myers grew up with the ability to communicate—to laugh, to cry, to show emotion. Loomis wished he would have known about his environment, but he only met his parents once and from what he could observe his home life may have been less than superb. The father, Donald Myers, was an abusive alcoholic and used the substance to cope. His mother Edith was often depressed, which may have been the result of Donald's abuse. Everything changed the night of Halloween 1963.

Both Edith and Donald Myers decided to see a movie to escape the house and they left their daughter Judith to watch over her brother Michael as he went trick-or-treating. That night, however, something snapped in Michael's mind from deeply-rooted trauma and afterward he became vacant and dead on the inside. Something motivated him as he stood outside their home, and he was no longer the innocent boy his family knew. He climbed upstairs after Judith's boyfriend left, knife in hand, and stabbed his sister repeatedly as if he were escaping his troubled life with every stab. Whether it was the despondency in his family or the burden of intimacy, Loomis did not know. The scene left him mute and in shock, so he ran downstairs and out the door, but before he could escape, his parents came back forever traumatized at what they saw. Edith sobbed and Donald looked at Michael in pain. The child showed no pain and no happiness. Just an abyss. After hours of trying to get their now only child to speak to them, the two were faced with the anguish of sending him off to the sanitarium until he could be tried at the age of twenty-one.

Michael never spoke to Loomis, even away from his parents, he just held a blank expression that resembled absolute evil. Whenever the doctor tried to reach Michael, the boy just stared out the window and to the sky, his blonde locks illuminated by the sun—an image he could never erase. He often wondered what the boy did once he was gone, _if_ he did anything.

“Oh...is that so?” the doctor hummed, weighing the pros and cons and if he should even compensate the young girl. He wanted more than anything to support her aspirations, but he couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her. Loomis let Michael be with the other patients as a test and the boy didn't attempt to escape. He never did anything except look out a window. Michael was never schooled due to his lack of responsiveness, he only had a kindergartner's education, but he was far too cunning to be at a child's level of intelligence, hence the suspicion. If he watched over Michael while the girl was present in the main room for the day, he decided, she could stay. If even the smallest complication occurred, she would have to leave the wing.

“Well, what do you say Doctor?” Chambers anxiously inquired, her feet tapping the hard floor at a fast pace. She didn't want Laurie to become hesitant about the position because of Loomis's hysteria. The woman knew Michael was blank and had a murderous proclivity, but she felt as if the doctor gave up on him too soon. He had endured six years of disturbance and being a child, he could have very well recovered, but Loomis let the trauma grow because of his short temper and impatience.

“I'll let her stay, but I will supervise.” The man was austere in his manner and put a hand on Laurie's shoulder. “We have around twenty mentally ill patients all varying in severity, which is a lot for the first day. For now, I will be assisting and observing.” He concluded by patting her shoulder then looking to Nurse Chambers.

The woman hesitantly smiled and turned around, grabbing Laurie a striped shirt along with a badge. “How about you get changed and when you're done Doctor Loomis will guide you to the patients.”

The teen was skittish at the exchanging of words, their body language, and their cautious voices. Strode nodded her head. “Uh—where should I go?” she questioned, embarrassed for sounding like a scared child in front of the two.

“There's a closet to your first left, darling.” Marion pointed to the door. Once the door shut, she turned to Loomis in frustration. Marion was furious that Loomis was so selfish in a situation such as this. “Now, look what you did! The poor girl's scared to death! She just came here to help you, she has a good head on her shoulders so now is not the time for your unhealthy delusions!”

“I am doing my job to protect this girl from the evil in here! Be happy I am granting her this chance,” he hissed, his voice like venom. Loomis found himself with nothing left to say because his truth was the only truth. The man did like Laurie, there was no doubt she was a stunning young lady, but he valued her safety more than her future.

Meanwhile, Laurie looked around the closet full of white coats and scrubs and walked toward the wooden drawers attached to the wall. She cocked her head to see if anyone was around and her curiosity led her to open the drawer but was disappointed to find pens and first aid kits. The girl didn't know if she should trust this place or not. It didn't seem too welcoming, but meeting Doctor Loomis was the reason for that feeling. She sighed and quickly pulled off her shirt, throwing on the other which felt strangely firm. Laurie was about to walk toward the door and return to Loomis, but before she did, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath for a second or two.

“Here we go,” the blonde muttered to herself and walked out of the closet, making sure no one was around. Laurie went forward, but her ears began to pick up a muffled conversation and her legs forced her to stop. Her eyes dashed around the hall to Loomis and Marion; they appeared to be arguing. Laurie held her breath and laid her back to the wall so she could hear the dispute.

“Fourteen years and you still believe that he will escape!? He was a child and he has never spoken a word, never interacted, never felt since that day so why would he make a wild run for it now? You are so adamant on containing him, but not healing him. You made that decision when he was young and decided he was too lost!” the woman argued, her words cold and belittling.

“Do not ever question me as a doctor. I sat with him for four hours a day. Four hours! Every day I asked him how he felt, asked him if he had anything to admit, I even told him everything would be okay if he just said one word. All my efforts, and all I got was silence in return along those cold, unmoving eyes that never strayed from the window,” Doctor Loomis angrily sighed.

Laurie's throat constricted. She didn't want to hear the rest of the story and prayed she did not have to see this person. The girl walked around the hall and toward the two figures to break their conversation.

“I know in my heart he’ll escape and when he does, he will—” Loomis was abruptly elbowed by his colleague and stopped to look at the young teen in front of him. A surge of regret followed, and he cleared his throat. “I didn't mean to scare you. I just have some... _issues_ with one patient but nothing that will concern you.” The words fled from his lips chaotically and the doctor motioned the girl to come forward. “How about we pay some of them a visit? I know many of these patients would love to talk to you.” The man forced a smile and he and Laurie walked off, leaving an aggravated Chambers behind. He didn't lie when he said the patients would love to meet her, but he was going to make sure she didn't have any interactions with _him_.

“Doctor Loomis, with all due respect, I-I don't know if I'm the right person for this,” the girl stammered as they walked, her heart becoming so heavy it rang in her ears and told her to run. Everyone in the sanitarium seemed sane except Loomis, and perhaps that person he spoke of.

“Of course you are, I promise. This place is for helping others and that is what you came here to do, is it not?” The psychologist felt angst consume him as he approached the grey dilapidated door. “Just sit with some of them and introduce yourself. Some of these patients are familiar with our volunteers already. They all love talking to younger students such as yourself.” Loomis paused and placed his hand on the cold silver handle of the door, glancing at the girl who was nervously twirling her hair between her fingers. “Ready?”

The door was pushed open and gave a welcoming creak.


	2. You are a Stranger Here

**Laurie anxiously followed Loomis as they entered the space.** She could barely breathe as they moved, but once she saw the room and everyone in it, she became muddled. This area wasn't eerie by any means and if she were to be honest, it was the most comforting room she'd seen in the facility. The walls were an olive green that became even lighter in value from bathing in the sunlight. In the center, a brown leather couch laid in-front of a decent sized television and to the side were bookshelves on the walls with many selections to pick from. The girl could make out the titles of a few books that ranged from romantic classics, education, and politics among others. Everything about the room seemed welcoming, paradoxically it was the Doctor that made her feel like an intruder.

To her right, a man and woman who both appeared to be in their seventies were playing chess and passionately chatting about an Enterprise space shuttle as well as how ‘the world has technology we'd never even fathomed’ when they were younger. The conversation made the girl smile, as she never thought about current events such as a shuttle launch from another point of view. It made her think about how it impacted them and made it special in her mind rather than thinking of it as just ‘something that happened.’ Laurie liked the two immediately. She continued to search the section to see the television on top of an oak table with the news channel providing white noise. Laurie noticed a man sitting in front of it with a newspaper in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He was just an ordinary man reading and smoking while occasionally glancing out the window; he wasn't ill. No one gave her the impression of being disturbed and she began to wonder what burdened these people. Laurie was interested in their stories.

The teen walked forward and saw a few more patients, and that was where she spotted those who truly were just coping with life. The youngest patient was a woman who appeared to be in her forties. She was spindly and looked malnourished to the bone, like nothing she'd seen before, and Laurie felt awful about it. Looking at the purple under her eyes and hearing the shivers that escaped her made the girl want to offer her empathy. The woman's eyes showed a hint of sadness, as if she had lost something or was rudely torn away from the world. Unable to continue her analysis without further heartbreak, the blonde trailed over to the windows for a change of scenery and suddenly she caught someone she hadn't seen before. This was the only person she hadn't taken notice of, which didn't make sense because he stuck out like a sore thumb. It made her heart jump faintly.

This person was not old by any means, she couldn't see the face with clarity, but knew it had to be male. His hair was a deep, dark brown and short, but not short enough to hide the natural, yet subtle, curl it held. The locks weren't unkempt, but they held a certain style to them despite being untouched; the girl couldn't help but be attracted to it. Laurie was about to move toward him, but before she could, Loomis hastily grabbed her, as if prohibiting her from seeing him. To the doctor, it was dangerous for his patient to even be aware of the younger girl.

“Here, why don't we start with Mrs. Diane,” the Doctor said frantically, looking to another corner. The man swiftly led the girl to the table where the two seniors played chess and scrutinized society and sat her in an empty oak chair between them. “Hello, Mrs. Diane this is Laurie,” he trailed, momentarily forgetting her name. “Laurie Strode, she comes from,” he trailed again and felt the slightest bit embarrassed. “Where do you come from?” he asked on behalf of himself more so than the woman. Doctor Loomis should have gotten to know Laurie better, but he was too preoccupied with a new person being around his patient, even if the patient had no reaction to external stimuli.

“Haddonfield, sir.” She gave a weak smile and looked to Loomis then the woman, feeling very unwanted in the room.  Laurie did not know that the patient had heard the word or that it had such an effect on the Doctor and him. She wanted more than ever for the doctor to leave her be and let her become comfortable with her environment. The man had a way of inspecting her that made her beyond wary.

“My goodness!” His voice came a shout, but he promptly coughed and converted his tone as to not cause a disturbance. A mere coincidence that a beautiful teen-aged girl such as Strode would hail from a town plagued by such a gruesome occurrence. Regardless of Marion, staff, and even the courts telling him his fears were just delusions, he persisted and would most likely continue to do so until he reached the true soul of Michael Myers, creator of one of Haddonfield's darkest days. That was, if he even had one. “That's quite a distance for you to come to visit us here, heh.” He nodded in silence due to his now awkward presence. “Well, I'll leave you to it Miss Strode. Welcome to Smith's Grove.”

Laurie arched a brow as he walked off to a corner he could still watch her from, but she didn't linger on it. She turned her head to the elder and gave a cordial smile, reaching her hand toward hers. Diane had eyes so brown they were almost black, and her hair was gray and bobby-pinned to the side with a lazy bun in the back. Laurie noted she dressed in mostly floral-patterned attire with varying yellows and greens. “Hello, Mrs. Diane, how are you today?” When the woman's paler hand grabbed hers with a firm shake, Laurie's smile grew.

“Oh, I'm doing just fine, hon. How about yourself?” Diane retracted her hand and began to move the dazzling beads on her bracelet as she engaged with the girl. The woman enjoyed young individuals like Laurie, as they had a plan for the future and made the most of it. It was a treasure that had lost itself with time.

Laurie playfully shrugged. “I can't complain, the sun is finally out and it's a nice day.” She gave a small chuckle and stared at the chess board, then her curiosity overtook her. “Ever play in a chess club? You seem to have mastered it.” Her fingers subconsciously went to her dirty blonde locks and twirled them around.

“As a matter of fact, yes! My daughter is a big chess fan as well, never took it as a sport, though. My father was king of his chess club as I recall, but I was never that good.” She smiled and shook her head. “Good memories.” A silence followed as she examined the girl. “You seem to be a tall girl; do you play any sports?”

Laurie frowned. She didn't want to disappoint her, but she was more book-smart than sport-smart. “I'm afraid I'm not. My friends are, but I'm more of a reader, Shakespeare and all.”

The lady laughed. “Shakespeare! I remember being younger and wishing I had some dramatic love story such as _Romeo and Juliet_. What a distinct choice...how about Ray Bradbury?” she queried as if quizzing the girl on her knowledge of literature.

“ _Fahrenheit 451_ , _The Illustrated Man_ , and—” she gave it a thought and shrugged. “I don't know if I've read any others, but I'd like to.” Strode observed the beaming face staring at her and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Bradbury fan?”

The woman nodded, her long threaded earring shining in the daylight. “Guilty as charged. _The Illustrated Man_ was a marvelous one! I already love your taste, Laurie.” She looked toward the chess table in content and abruptly, her smile subsided into a frown, a shift that made Laurie tense. “But it's just my husband. I seem to have lost him.” This ‘new’ set of eyes met the teen's for what seemed to be the first time. “What's your name? Could—Could you find him?”

The girl was speechless. She wasn't sure if she should get Loomis or attempt to assist Diane, which she feared would've made the situation worse. Laurie struggled to understand, but then it came to her all too quickly: this was her struggle. This woman couldn't effectually live a life she forgot about every day. Laurie leaned in closer and softly grabbed the woman's hand, offering her an assuring gaze. “My name's Laurie. Laurie Strode. I'm afraid I don't know where your husband is, but I'll be on the lookout for him.” Strode paused and looked back to the downcast face. “What is his name?”

The woman seemed to greatly appreciate the girl's efforts and she smiled, grabbing Laurie's hand with a pressure even to hers. “Harry, his name is Harry Gerber. He is tall, brown hair, young—oh please tell me you'll find him!” She became desperate, seeming to describe someone she hadn't seen in years.

It saddened Laurie to think her husband may have passed or she had been in this institution for so long. She nodded and gave her hand one final squeeze before pulling away. “I can promise you I'll try, I'm sure he is out there.” She carefully stood and pushed her chair in. “Do you need anything else, Mrs. Diane?”

The woman shook her head and looked at the girl with such gratitude she nearly cried. “I am okay now that you will try to find him, Laura.”

Laurie nodded, understanding she couldn't remember her name in its entirety. “You have a good day now, okay?” She grinned once the woman nodded but was startled when Diane pulled her in for a hug. The teen's heart jumped, but she returned the embrace, sad again that people as sweet as her had to experience such pain. As she was lulled by the citrusy scent of the woman, Laurie noticed Loomis staring directly at her, but she couldn't tell if he was satisfied or judging her and it instantly made her insecure. Once she and the woman broke the embrace, she looked around and identified someone she had wanted to meet from the moment she saw her: the emaciated woman. The girl walked toward the younger woman and carefully sat across from her on a cushioned bench. Once the woman's dark, crestfallen eyes met hers, Laurie gave a small smile, hoping she wasn't being bothersome. “Hi, I'm Laurie, what's your name?”

The raven-haired woman returned a smile that took all her strength and her spirits were slightly lifted by the girl. “Julie,” her raspy voice projected. She took a deep breath before continuing. “Nice to meet you.” A draft from the window came in and she shivered again, closing her eyes so tight Laurie thought they'd burst.

“May I get you a blanket?” Laurie asked, instantly standing from her chair in worry that she'd freeze to death. The girl wondered if anyone even bothered getting her blankets earlier.

“I'd like that very much.” Julie gave a plodding smile as the girl walked over to the sofa and grabbed the thickest one she could. The blonde made her way behind the frail woman and delicately wrapped the mass of fabric around her to suppress her shivers. Julie sighed in pain and looked at the fresh-faced youth, which brought a genuine smile to her face. The woman gazed until she came to a realization that made her eyes glow. “You remind me of my daughter, Laurie. She's ten, kind-hearted like you.” Before she could continue, her voice gave out, and she had to rest before she could speak again. “What are you here for, angel?”

“I'm working as a volunteer for school, but I’m also interested in psychology, so I took a position to help here.” Laurie looked to the woman in trepidation, fearing the woman might pass out before her. There had to be a reason she was at Smith's Grove.

“Sounds nice.” A tired sigh followed. “Always good to have a strategy. Don't make mistakes that'll hurt you.” Julie nodded and closed her eyes then looked back to the girl. “Keep doing what you do best. Stay happy and true to yourself and God will lead the way.”

Laurie smiled, touched by the sentiment as well as the optimism of the woman. It wasn't long, however, until she began to understand the woman was speaking from experience, and it only made her more curious about her past. “May I ask what you mean by staying happy, Julie?” Laurie lowered her volume in fear of offending her or Doctor Loomis.

Julie's fingers brushed against the blanket and she leaned forward with what little strength she had. “I made the mistake of hating myself throughout my life, even with my daughter and husband. I changed who I was to please others.” She paused and shook her head, too abused on the inside to cry anymore. “I have become too wasted in life to continue without my child. She was the highlight of my life. I was told I would have to begin loving myself before I can love her.” Her voice indicated she would cry if she could, but she let her story serve as advice for the young mind in front of her. Laurie reminded her of an impressionable person, one who could become absorbed in what others thought. Those were the people who forgot to see a person for who they really are, what they're capable of.

The teen looked to the floor and contemplated asking her another question but decided against it. Julie was a strong woman living in a weak vessel eaten up by the sadness of losing her world. Laurie decided she would remember that advice. “I-I'm so sorry you had to experience that, couldn't imagine what it feels like.”

“That was then, and this is now. Know what's best for you, Laurie, then you'll be happy.” She closed her eyes and became the most exhausted she'd been in a while. Her body was not challenged to produce any movement or speech for a bit, but she rather enjoyed the company.

Laurie nodded and stood, making sure another blanket was close to Julie if she needed it. She looked down to the woman, knowing she wasn't sleeping, just exhausted. “It was nice meeting you, Julie. I'll see you again.”

“You as well. Take care, angel,” her voice strained.

This cycle continued for an hour and she had become acquainted, and even liked, by nearly all the patients. The Doctor, staring at her from his corner, began to feel the same—something that surprised the girl.

Laurie turned around and searched the room, biting her cheek as her eyes met the back of the brown-haired boy's head again. She had been staring at him since she entered the room and her interest in the male became almost unbearable. She felt her feet move forward ever so slightly. Why was Loomis so protective of him and why did this patient in particular not move, just stare? Would he even respond if she spoke to him? She wanted to steal just the slightest glance at his face without Loomis around, but it was near impossible. It was a shame she couldn't ask anyone about the boy without causing trouble; she didn't want word getting around she was snooping into patients' lives. That would ruin her volunteer work permanently.

The girl desperately looked over to Loomis and was elated to find he was busy speaking with a conversational patient. She took a deep breath. Perhaps she could observe or even connect with this peculiar boy while she had the chance. Laurie's heart danced faster as she walked to a chair next to him and unhurriedly sat, as if it to apprise him. Her eyes nervously flickered to the paranoid psychologist then back to the boy, who never moved at her presence. She felt her breath hitch as she saw the face even closer.


	3. Staying Low

**It was as if he didn’t want his face to be seen** the way it was positioned, but she could tell he had emerald eyes. The sun reflected its light onto them perfectly. His nose was average, not too big or pointed, but also not too small or dull. His skin was pale, though not a complete white. The male had a prominent jawline and thick brown eyebrows; they were his most prominent features, and both complimented his face in an almost flawless fashion.

Laurie felt a heat creep up her cheeks upon realizing this patient was very striking, and especially in comparison to every boy her age. He had an edge to him and looked unlike anyone she had ever seen. Annie and Lynda would have probably made some type of sex-crazed comment if they saw him, but she knew immediately he was different. He didn't seem like a guy who wanted any intimacy with the world—come to think of it, he seemed rather empty and his eyes showed nothing. The teen automatically became conflicted as to what she should feel: fear or interest. Laurie shook the feeling off, remembering she had a task at hand, and switched back to a professional manner.

She gently cleared her throat and looked out the window to see what he was looking at, but there was nothing, for he was looking _beyond_ the window. The girl knew he was thinking, but perhaps would never know what about. “Illinois weather, huh? One moment snow and sun the next,” she muttered casually but cringed once he didn't reply. The girl would have introduced herself, but she felt compelled to hold the silence, as he was mute or just unwilling to speak. She didn't know if he was okay with her being next to him, so she sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments. “Well, I'm Laurie, and if you need anything you can tell me,” the teen made herself sound as reassuring as she could and stood. “But if you need some space, I-I understand completely.” She gave a smile even though he wouldn't see. It was like he was in a comatose state ignoring her and it made her feel vulnerable. Right as she turned from the mute patient, she was very abruptly grabbed by a hand and emitted a loud gasp.

“What were you doing, Miss Strode!?” Loomis commanded without a filter to his frustration. He happened to look away for a short period, and when he looked back, the man saw her sitting next to Michael and nearly fainted. “Did I tell you to come over here?” The man placed himself between Michael and Laurie cautiously.

“I-I'm sorry. You didn't tell me where I couldn't go, Doctor,” she replied, trembling in fear.

The man's gaze gradually softened as well as his grip. Perhaps he was hysteric, but at least he could say he tried. “That I didn't. I apologize, Miss Strode.” He let go of her and looked to the doors in panic. “You may leave for the day. You did a wonderful job assisting.” The doctor kept his back to Michael.

Laurie stared at the doctor for a minute and bit her lip, unable to tell if he was being sarcastic, genuine, or plain mad. She wanted more than ever to understand why he was so different, so guarded. “Is everything okay, Doctor?”

“Oh yes, everything is just fine. We'll see you again tomorrow, alright?” He grabbed Laurie's shoulders, hurriedly leading her out the door. “Just leave your things in the closet and Mrs. Chambers will take care of it. Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Strode.”

And with that, the door shut, and she was removed from the world the detached boy inhibited.

“What in the world happened to him?” Laurie asked herself, still staring at the double doors. She shook her head and sprinted back to the closet where she left her school attire and was relieved to see the articles still there. Her arms promptly crossed and grabbed the bottom of the hideous peppermint-themed shirt, pulling it off and flinging it to the ground as if it were garbage. Once she shimmied herself back into her undershirt and sweater, she carefully hung the horrid shirt on the candy-striper rack and grabbed her bag. Laurie walked out of the closet and intended on leaving immediately, but she had an overwhelming urge to look inside the resident rooms for a taste of patient-life.

The teen leaned forward and scanned both hallways carefully while walking up to a patient's room labelled _A-2201_. She raised herself by the tips of her toes to see through the glass and was disappointed by what she saw. Their rooms were pure white with a bed, window, and a stray chair being its only occupants. The sight made her understand why the psych ward wasn't a jolly place.

“Laurie? Is there anything you're looking for?” Mrs. Chambers stood by the girl inspecting the room, partly confused and horrified. If Loomis were there, he'd have gone manic over the fact she was looking into Michael's room, but Marion assumed it was mere curiosity.

A yelp escaped the girl and she placed her feet flat on the ground, backing up in fear. Her wide eyes stared back at the nurse and she took a deep breath, her heart recovering from the shock. “Goodness, I'm sorry Mrs. Chambers, I was just—”

“Don't worry about it. Want me to guide you back to the main lobby?” she offered. When Laurie nodded her head, the nurse walked forward and into the elevator while they began to converse. “So how was your first day? Loomis didn't scare you off, did he?” Marion asked with the slightest hint of fear.

Strode shook her head and laughed. “No, not all, he was very helpful. It was nice, everyone else was as well, Mrs. Chambers.” She had a bad habit of lying to spare the feelings of others, but she enjoyed Mrs. Chambers. Laurie wished she could ask her about that boy and Loomis, but she didn't, fearing it would be too sensitive of a topic. Once the elevator opened, she walked off and waved to the nurse, telling her she'd see her the next day, then stepped outside in the now freezing air. Laurie stood in-front of the building and shivered in disbelief that it was spring and she could still see the warm breath escaping her lips. Then, a loud honk sounded, and she turned around, joyful to see her dad's car waiting. She walked toward the vehicle and opened the passenger door, sliding in with a sigh of relief. The girl dropped her bag by her feet and buckled her seatbelt before enjoying the newfound warmth.

“Sooo, how did it go today?” Morgan asked with his signature tired-yet-sarcastic voice.

Normally the girl would say something funny in return, but she felt that if she told her parents about Loomis and that boy, they would not let her go back. Laurie wanted to go back. She wanted to know why Loomis hid him from the world and why this boy didn’t speak. He did not look like he was happy or suffering, he was just a dead face, but there was something about it that impacted her in a way she couldn't explain. He was an attractive young man and ended up in that place somehow. She saw something in him, and she wasn’t going to give up until she found it.

“It went okay.” Laurie shrugged and rested her head on the cool glass of the window. “I expected more people from school to be there.” The girl closed her eyes. She wanted to forget the boy, but she couldn't. It was eating at her and she found herself unable to wait until she could see him again.

“Well, the others were probably busy. Spring sports are starting, you know,” he said plainly, revving up his engine before proceeding to pull out of the parking lot. There was a stillness in the air and the man looked to his daughter, surprised to see her drifting off. It was uncharacteristic of her to not be well-rested and chatty. “How much sleep have you been getting, honey?”

Laurie had to fight the urge to groan in annoyance. She felt as if she'd been asked the same question a trillion times within the same day. Was she expected to always be perfect? “I get enough sleep, it was just this test I had to study for last night. I wanted to make sure I knew everything.” Her eyes went to her stockings and her fingers began to play with the knit pattern.

Morgan's hands remained firmly on the steering wheel and his eyes strictly on the road. “You don't have to know everything, darling. Knowing isn't enough—”

“We must apply,” the teen cut her dad off and gave a cocky smirk. “You've told me that one before. Better get a new book to quote from.”

“Touché.” He grinned, then thought of something else to talk about. “I think your mother is making spaghetti tonight because it's 'national meatball day' or something like that.” The man made a turn and looked to his daughter to check if she was still awake and found she was already passed out and beyond waking up soon. “Oh, Laurie.” He shook his head, wishing the girl wasn’t so hard on herself. The only person that wanted her to be perfect was her.

After a half-hour passed, the two were finally home, and Laurie hadn't noticed she drifted asleep or how dark the sky had become until her father woke her. She grabbed her bag and slammed the door of the vehicle shut, groggily walking to the front door. Her hand reached the doorknob and she was greeted by the aroma of garlic and tomatoes. “National meatball day, huh?” she repeated to herself in disbelief there was such a thing. The girl looked around to see her mother humming to herself while preparing the meal and smiled. Her happiness was infectious. Laurie sneakily made her way toward the kitchen, leaning on the fridge out of the woman’s sight. “What's cooking?” the girl chuckled, finding the pun hilarious, as her mom jumped about three feet.

“Laurie! Don't sneak up on me like that!” She wasn't the least bit serious, and her face held a wide Cheshire grin. “How was the candy-striper thing, honey?” she asked happily, leaning against the white-top counter. Her interest went from the tumbling boil of the noodles to her daughter.

“It was pretty good. Excited for another day.” She smiled. “Dinner smells good.”

“Tastes wonderful, too. Want a bite?” Pamela enquired, her hands white from the pressure of leaning against the counter.

“I was actually thinking of going to bed early. Stayed up all night for my math test and it went well.” Laurie’s body truly did crave sleep and most importantly, time to think, especially about Loomis and the boy. She gazed at the pale marble ground then to the door, wondering if her dad was inspecting his car for the millionth time that week after claiming he ‘heard something.’

“Oh.” The woman swiftly backed away and kneeled slightly, looking at Laurie’s face and the bags that contrasted with her light eyes. “How about I scoop up a plate for you real quick? I don't want you to starve while you sleep.”

Laurie nodded, standing herself up straight. “That sounds good.”

“Hey, honey!” Morgan made his entrance known and walked between the two, giving Pamela a quick peck on the lips. “Smells fantastic!”

The woman smiled, if Laurie and he said it, then she supposed it was true. “I know, darling. How was work?” She grabbed a plate and a grey kitchen spoon to put together Laurie's dinner.

“Oh, same ol' same ol', how was your day?” The man seemed unenthused, and gently set his bags down by the door.

“Nothing special, just called the Doyle family about Laurie and Tommy tomorrow and straightened up a bit.” She shrugged, not finding her day as interesting as theirs. The woman walked over to the table and placed the now heaping plate of pasta on it. “Eat up, Laurie, then please get some rest.”

The teen nodded and slid her bag off, sitting on the ashy-brown dining chair. “I will, I promise.” She grabbed her fork and carefully wrapped the noodles around it, gazing at it as if it were art and not food. Laurie then fell into a jaded trance, blocking out the conversations of her mother and father as they spoke about what was on the news and what errands they had to run that weekend. The two sat at the table and joined her in eating, but few words fell from her mouth. It wasn't until a slow-moving hour later that she was finally able to truck herself up to her room and call it a day.

Laurie wished her parents goodnight and hobbled up the cream-carpeted stairs, her shoes in one hand and book bag in the other. She threw the bag on the floor of her bedroom along with her penny loafers. The girl proceeded to sit on the end of the bed, staring at herself in the mirror. Laurie looked away, unconcerned by her disheveled hair, and began to hum to herself while she slid her white stockings down, tossing them into a laundry bin in a corner. Her room was plain, but not as plain as those in the sanitarium.

On her faded-yellow walls was a James Ensor print, a straw hat, and a total of four windows, which let all daylight in when the sun showed itself. She had two wooden dressers and a nightstand—the nightstand held only a lamp and her knitting supplies, and her dresser held a woven chest with a lock on it (where she kept her small fortune from babysitting) as well as a Raggedy Ann doll. Her nightstand with a mirror stood on the wall facing her bed, and on top was just a phone and globe award she’d won as a child for an ‘exemplar’ paper she had written. Her copper colored carpet was slightly cluttered in a corner where a book and a tennis racket laid.

Looking at the mess titled her room, Laurie shook her head. The girl yawned and laid herself down, desperately pulling a floral-patterned blanket around her. Once she was comfortable, she turned all the lights off and was left with only the calming breeze outside. Her mind kept racing and didn't stop till she came to one conclusion. _She needed to see that boy again_.


	4. Out of Place

**“After the night of April 7 th, 1978, the ****beginning** ** _of this account_** , his notes seem to have concluded, but then they grew abruptly after a two-month period and never halted until October 31st into the first of November...” the man trailed. His eyes turned to the woman in a vaguely threatening manner. “Loomis had begun to trust you, but he didn't know you broke that trust with what transpired behind closed doors. Someone did know, however. Who was that someone, Ms. Strode?”

A scoff escaped her lips and her hand rested on the table, nervously gripping onto it as if it were a life-line. “You know who it was.” She felt powerless in the presence of the officer. He hadn't even finished a third of the story that was her own and the woman began to understand what it was like to have one's world dismantled before their eyes.

“I do, but I want to hear you say it. You've run from this every second of your life after the horror of it all. Forty years have passed, and I am suggesting you do yourself a damn favor and face it before it chews you up and spits you out more than it already has.” It was a harsh statement but said to help her rather than hurt her. He shot a pleading look.

There was no sound, but their eyes exhibited their thoughts. It was a vicious cycle of thought and panic, but Laurie finally broke the silence.

“Marion Chambers. It was Marion Chambers.”

A content smile from the officer followed and he stared back at the papers that laid on the table. “So, you were left unsupervised just a week after starting. Doctor Loomis made it very plain his patient was unpredictable and a threat, but that never stopped you from wanting to get closer. He was just too captivating for you to forget, enough to make you break the rules.” The man continued to read, the words on the page almost implausible. “You had said June 2nd was a day you'd never forget, a day that changed everything that followed. What happened on June 2nd of 1978?”

 

✳✳✳

April was when Laurie first met the patient. Every day she came, she would sit with him even if it were silent. There were sunny days where she could sit with him and talk about the weather or trivial things like events in the town, but never anything personal. She had no reaction from the other, but she took it for what it was; it never made her less interested in him. His face was captivating, just beyond reach, and drew her in even more. Eyes were the windows to the soul, and over time she noticed his seemed more attentive to her voice. They were less dull and held more life to them whenever she spoke and that was enough to make the teen content. Laurie often wondered how his responses would differ if it were just them in the room, but she assumed it would stay the same. She wanted to believe he was mute and leave it at that, but she had a feeling he was capable of speaking, the mysterious patient just chose not to.

 By May, everyone on the hospital floor had gotten to know Laurie and appreciated her time and the assistance she gave, but none of it surpassed her interest in him. Laurie often promised herself she wouldn't keep thinking about the boy, as it was improper and even perilous, but she never stopped. The boy's normally inanimate, tense body language began to change, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't intimidate her at first. When she sat next to him and gave her hellos and small talk, he would occasionally shift his arm or leg because he was comfortable and not so stiff. The connection Laurie had started to build with him made him more human it seemed, and even though he had never directly acknowledged her, the smallest differences were the biggest. June 2nd marked the true beginning of the story. _Their_ story.

It was five o'clock in the afternoon and the town of Haddonfield held a serene silence. The young Laurie Strode had just finished a two-hour tutoring session and was exhausted yet feverish as she left Haddonfield High. The warmth in the air and the fluorescent flowers brought her joy, for school was finally ending soon, and the summer season would commence. She sat on a bench outside the school and leisurely whistled, waiting for Annie to pick her up. Patience was something she lacked more and more on nights she had to volunteer because she got to see the one who fascinated her.

**_HONK_ **

“Need a ride, hot stuff?” a voice sarcastically echoed across the lot. The rumbling of the car engine clashed with the sound of the school air conditioning to create an unpleasant symphony.

Laurie darted her head and smiled, pulling herself up from the stony surface. She placed her hands in her high-waisted navy jeans and stared her friend down in a flippant manner. “Yeah, I do, actually.”

“Well great. Get in.” Annie chuckled, unlocking the passenger door. Out of the brunette's mouth dangled a joint and she leisurely took drags off the weed-filled blunt. Her hair was curled to perfection and her eyes glowed in the light, changing to a mahogany.

Laurie made her way into the vehicle, the soft clacking of her heels on the cement adding to the mixture of noises. She refrained from rolling her eyes at the joints that laid in her middle compartment and set her bag on her lap. “Been having fun much?” She shook her head in incredulity and buckled herself in for the ride. If it hadn't been for Annie having her own car, she didn't know how she would have been able to get to Smith's Grove on a near daily basis.

“I guess you could call it that. Want a hit?” Annie leaned her hand with the lit blunt closer to Laurie but wasn't the least bit surprised to see it rejected.

“If I go into that place smelling like pot, goodness knows what they'd do.” Moments passed and Laurie looked to the trees to distract her. She tapped her foot on the ground and eventually the corners of her mouth raised as did her excitement.

The teen looked over and gave a judging stare. “Yeah, looks like you're already happy.” She smirked, her eyes turning back to the road, she could respect her friend's privacy, but that was just no fun. “Who is it? Did you get together with Ben Tramer? Who was it and when, 'cause you've been all smiley lately.” Annie seemed very excited, she had always pushed Laurie to get a boyfriend or at least do something a normal girl would do. Insolent or not, the teen referred to it as helping her friend free herself from being sheltered in her own world.

“Annie!” Laurie laid her head against her palm in irritation. “I can't be happy without you thinking it was some guy?” She took offense to the statement but was more aggravated that it was the truth.

“Okay, okay, I'm sorry.” Brackett paused and continued to drive on the empty road. “But you have to tell me who it is Laurie! I won't let this go until you give me the skinny on it!”

Laurie almost laughed, _the skinny on it_. She always thought people sounded hilarious using that phrase. “That's my business, Annie, and it's not Ben Tramer so stop asking.” Her voice, though, projected as if it said, ‘please keep asking.’

“It's not Tramer!? Then who the hell is it!?”

“I'll tell you another time,” she muttered, biting her bottom lip. The girl began to realize she had nothing to tell Annie about. How exactly could she say, ‘ _I am obsessed with a mental patient I try to help, but I don't know him at all_?’

Annie sneered at her. “Yeah, sure you will. You probably just eye-fucked some boy and thought it was love.” She rolled her eyes but internally felt sympathetic.

“Maybe you're right...” Laurie trailed, it only being a matter of minutes until Annie pulled into the parking lot and to the entrance. Laurie removed herself from the car at a slow pace, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing her bag. “Thanks for the lift, Annie.” Her lips were stuck together, feeling as if something had become awkward between them.

“Yeah, sure thing. Have fun pouring tea for the old people.” Annie cracked a subtle smile as her friend walked out of the car and shut the side door. Once Laurie took off for the entrance, she rolled away from the structure.

Laurie would have been offended by Annie's spiel, but she was too engrossed in her environment. Her feet led her through the door, and she was instantly greeted by Marion Chambers. She smiled. The woman had a face that could bring a smile to anyone. “Hello, Mrs. Chambers.”

Immediately, the nurse's face lit up. “Laurie! How are you doing today?”

“Oh, not too bad, just busy with school. How about you?” she replied, resting her arm on the reception desk.

The woman scooped her silky cocoa-colored hair into her hands and wrapped it into a neat bun, pinning it in the back. “Just fine. I have to say your organization skills surpass mine. Those files you went through the other day are arranged just right.” Chambers reached into her front pocket, handing the girl a key with a crimson red cover on the top that separated it from others. “You can go up there. I think they're done with dinner and just settling in for the night. Loomis is currently with a patient, though, so he'll pop in for a second.” Marion hoped nothing would go wrong.

Michael Myers had a court date that would come on his birthday, October 19th. He would be twenty-one and facing the charges for the murder of his sister. Doctor Loomis had decided it was best he begin to talk to Michael about it, regardless of if he responded or not, and tell him what it entailed for his future at Smith's Grove. If he had a sudden change of heart and was able to defend himself, it was possible he could recover and leave the hospital, maybe even continue as a normal person someday. That wasn't realistic, however. Loomis knew Michael was too far gone to become anything other than a wicked entity. But law was law and he had to go.

“Great, thanks Mrs. Chambers. Have a nice one.” Laurie walked away in confusion, wondering what Loomis was doing and why she'd even need to see him after this meeting. Her flesh began to feel as if it were burning. _What if it was that boy?_ What if Loomis was trying to reach him? Did he know she still sat with his patient despite his warnings? It made her feel guilty. She knew she was a reliable and trust-worthy person, always had been, but this was the first time she had ever taken advantage of trust. After walking onto the elevator, Laurie stood in silence, the sweat from her hand making the key slippery. Once the doors opened, she slid into the frigid hall and shivered. The sanitarium had a different feel to it than the main floor, it was more brooding. Her feet felt heavy as she made her way to the staff closet and once Laurie arrived, she walked in with haste. The blonde expected herself to be antsy around the patients, but the fact of the matter was Doctor Samuel Loomis made her feel less than secure. Her eyes scanned the wardrobe and spotted her stripped shirt, proceeding to grab it from the wire hanger. She stared at her name engraved in the badge and set the shirt down, removing her own. The girl quivered at the sudden exposure to the cool air and pulled the red and white striped shirt over her head, but it replaced little of the warmth she'd lost. The girl looked around and felt weak, but before she let the feeling consume her, she hung her shirt and scurried out of the dimly-lit closet.

Laurie continued to walk toward the patient recreation room and focused on the tapping of her shoes rather than the eerie silence. She looked around and took notice of the many phones and emergency exit signs but didn't dwell on these warnings and began to hum a tune. As she approached the main room, she heard a faint voice and promptly stopped humming. It seemed to be coming from one of the patient's rooms and her head turned to them, stopping all movement. She arched a brow and made sure no one was around. Laurie began to make her way toward the door she suspected the noise came from, the door she peeked in the very first day. _A-2201_. She tip-toed toward the faded door and carefully inched her head forward so at least one eye could look inside the room. The girl stood on the tips of her toes and tried not to make any sound of struggle, but quickly realized it would be near impossible. Laurie stopped breathing and her heartbeats became louder, harsher as the world collapsed into quietude. Her eye turned and she leaned in, surprised at what she saw. It was Loomis and the patient.

The Doctor was sitting on a chair as the other looked out the window blankly, a look that Laurie never received anymore. She could only tell it was him from the curly brown hair and the stronger jawline, but during her observation she inadvertently made a grunt as her calf muscles began to burn.

Her heart sank. The girl dropped back down to her normal height and took off as fast as she could and as quietly as possible. She made it to the door she wanted to enter initially and looked over her shoulder. _Deep breath, Laurie_ , she kept telling herself. But no one was there, which meant Loomis didn't hear or didn't register the sound as a threat. Strode turned her head once again and whipped out the key in her pocket, sticking it in the lock before making her way in.

Laurie opened the doors and was greeted by a hushed room, the only sound being the quiet television. The room was bathed in the purple and pinks of the sky and she smiled. It seemed as if everything was under control. The teen saw a nurse folding blankets and handing a woman a hot cup of tea and she made her way to the woman with a smile. “I can take it from here if you need me to.”

The woman's eyes met Laurie's and she gladly accepted the offer. “Thank you. Things are winding down for the night so just check up on everyone occasionally. You can change the TV channel if you'd like. Almost everyone sleeps at this time.” She made her way out the door and left the girl with the patients.

“Perfect,” Laurie sighed to herself, feeling at ease. The only thing troublesome to her was Loomis, but she distracted herself by talking to the others.

 

✳✳✳

“We have little time, Michael. If you ever had a second thought, or any thought, about that night now is the time to say so. I kept you as my patient for so long because I wanted to help what I thought was a disturbed boy. I know many things about you, but I don't know you. None of that information matters, though, because it is only the world's view of you.” The doctor looked away. “I spoke with your parents the night you killed Judith. They couldn't believe it. Do you know why, Michael? Deep down they wanted to believe you were still their little boy, but you were no longer responsive.”

Again, silence. No reaction, no emotion.

“I believe Michael is dead. He died the night he realized his family, even his own existence, never made him feel alive. Michael wanted to leave a world that had no purpose for him, so he left his vessel and in return one of evil filled its place. This thing only felt alive when killing. This thing didn't have to face an abusive father or depressed mother that couldn't offer love to her kids because she couldn't love herself.” Loomis knew he was going into sensitive territory, but he too was guilty of having days where he wanted to give him a second chance. It was only wishful thinking.

Silence. Only silence enclosed the two.


	5. Hope for What Is Not There

**“I mean could you believe it!?** Al Unser's third win in the 500-mile? Those European engines, I tell ya,” an elder patient grunted, his passion about racing making itself known.

The girl nodded and smiled. “European technology has definitely spread, Mr. Gordan.” She continued the conversation with the man while pouring him another cup of tea. Laurie had never been into racing much, but she wasn't completely oblivious to the sport. If it was important to the man, it was important to her.

“Tom Sneva ain't half that bad either—eight seconds short. 202 miles per hour ain't that bad,” the elder said to himself more than Laurie.

Strode chuckled. She enjoyed the ambiance of the room and how much it felt like an average living room apart from fourteen people being present. Most of the patients were in meetings with their psychiatrist, much like the boy, and the teen wanted to know what they typically discussed. Was it their problems, how their day was? She didn't know, but she pitied the poor soul that dealt with Doctor Loomis.

The door made a noise. _Speak of the devil_.

Laurie had become so distracted she forgot about the situation from earlier, but the opening of the door brought her back. Her eyes moved toward the opening door and once she saw the near-bald man walk in, she forgot how to breathe. His eyes instantaneously locked with the girl’s, and it was evident he wasn’t pleased. She felt herself cower as Doctor Loomis held open the door in a peculiar manner for the boy that held her interest.

The brunette entered the room slyly and made his way to a seat by the windows. After he sat, he did not move.

“Ah, Miss Strode, how wonderful it is to see you here.” The doctor looked insane and sleep-deprived. A vein on his forehead bulged in irritation. “Do you need any assistance tonight?”

The girl stood and walked toward him despite the intense doubt she felt. “I'll be fine, Doctor. Just making sure everyone is okay, nothing too hard.” Laurie gave a nervous smile, desperate for him to leave.

The teen's pretty face left Loomis bemused. She was a mystery as well. He knew the girl well enough to know she was harmless and good-natured, but he had a nagging feeling about her. The man's icy eyes remained glued to hers and he leaned forward so no one else but Laurie could hear. “Be safe. Do not approach my patient for your own safety, Miss Strode. He will not hurt you if you leave him be.” The Doctor gave a final smile and observed the wave of fear that came over the girl. He wanted his message to be heard explicitly. “I'll be on this floor by the main desk if you need anything.” The man walked out of the room and the door gave a final click. He could only hope she'd take his warning.

Laurie stared at the door for an extended period and scoffed in pure disbelief. Doctors were meant to heal the insane, not be insane, she thought that should've been clear. She sighed and looked around. The girl had already spoke to those who were awake and made sure they had everything they needed. Her arms folded and she bit her lip nervously, staring at the boy sitting by the window. The teen wanted to, _needed to_ , see him. One part of her said to go up to him and chat like she had many times before, just to see his face; the other part told her he must've been a threat that would hurt her if she didn't follow the Doctor's instructions. But if he was so psychotic, why did he display more reaction toward her and nothing to his own doctor of fourteen years?

Laurie made her decision. She walked over to the boy and felt something bubble up inside that was either eagerness or dread. The girl shakily inhaled and took her seat next to the motionless patient, her fingers growing frantic as she played with the denim of her pants. Laurie swallowed a lump in her throat and looked to the boy but was met with a limited side view. He seemed more distant than usual which made her wonder what Loomis had told him in their meeting. “Hey, haven't seen you today,” she said softly, breaking the silence. Her focus went to the window and the summer sunset before them. “I used to play Ella Fitzgerald and Paul Anka when I was younger and the weather started to change. Summer was always boring because I read and listened to music.” The girl gave a slight hum, as if reminiscing, but she had no idea if the person next to her was vexed or simply embracing her words.

Laurie shifted her eyes to him and saw him staring, perhaps processing it. The teen refocused her eyes to the view of the trees beyond the window. She wondered would happen if she took her conversation a bit further and made it applicable to him, not just her. “That Doctor Loomis, though, he's something,” she murmured nervously, hoping it would trigger the patient to speak about the man. “He doesn't know the difference between paranoia and being involved.” The girl twirled her hair around her finger and didn't expect anything of the boy, but he made a movement. Before Laurie could comprehend anything, she looked to her side and her heart sank like a stone.

The boy was staring right at her.

The girl turned to face him, which was hard given that her limbs were now the equivalent of jelly. So many thoughts went through her head and she eagerly looked at him, a blush instantly creeping onto her face.

His eyes. His eyes were the sharpest hazel she had ever seen, and they appeared to be glowing with the light of the sun. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen, and she gulped. Never had she felt this way before—to have someone just look at her and feel butterflies in her stomach. The boy's face was breathtaking. His lips were full but not overly so and his eyebrows, a conspicuous feature of his, were a medium to dark brown that matched his hair. The structure of his face appeared carved, flawless, and above all, masculine. Laurie would have been lying if she said he wasn't attractive; the truth was he was the most attractive person she had ever seen. Laurie had an urge to touch his flawless skin, to see if he was real.

Strode continued to stare and she blinked, knocking herself out of her trance before it got too awkward. “Sorry for staring.” She didn't want to think about how red her cheeks were and took a deep breath to calm herself. Then, her eyes traveled back to him after a quiet couple of seconds. It was the first time he had ever truly acknowledged her, and she assumed it meant something; he must have had thoughts if he felt compelled to look at her. Laurie bit her lip.  He knew something and she wanted to solve the mystery. “Why do I get the feeling you know more than you let on?”

He couldn't answer her, he just gave a subtle smirk and looked down, making her more startled than before. Her eyes were wide with shock at the display of emotion.

 _The boy could feel_. He felt, and the evidence was right in front of her. The girl's heart kept thumping at its cage, wanting to escape and jump until it couldn't any longer. “So you do,” she mused, wondering if he was discouraged by her exaggerated reactions. Her leg moved to rest on top of the other and she stared, thinking of what else to say. Only the frantic tapping of her nails against the window could be heard. “You speak too, don't you?” Laurie asked cautiously, still not recovered from shock. It wasn't her intent to push any boundaries, but this was a person who had not spoken a single word or showed a single emotion for fourteen years.

 Michael looked back at her, the smirk still on his face. He remained silent for a moment then leaned closer, looking up at her with his piercing eyes. His face moved closer to hers, but never past a certain point, as though he feared intimacy. “Yes,” his voice projected softly, not wanting anyone else but her to hear it. It was a simple answer, but enough for the other.

The blonde's mouth stood agape and she continued to gaze at the handsome face. Her eyes were locked into place, they couldn't move even if she tried. “I thought so,” she trailed in an attempt to contain her surprise. Laurie smiled and looked back to him, a newfound confidence rising. “So technically I've been rambling to myself all this time?” The girl ran a hand through her velvet locks and shook her head in disbelief. She hadn't a clue who he was, but she was captivated. His voice was comforting not because it was soft, but because it was so understandable, so fluid. He was not insane, the girl believed he was traumatized, but not insane.

“You must think I'm stupid now.” Laurie giggled, but was stunned to see him arch a brow at her. The teen nervously twirled her hair and felt a familiar heat creep upon her cheeks. He was fascinating and she prayed it wasn't evident she felt as such. “Well thanks for sparing my feelings.” Laurie continued to gaze into his eyes and a question thoughtlessly slid off her tongue. “What's your name?”

The patient gave a small sigh and appeared disappointed by the request. Before he could ponder any longer, the girl apologized for her mistake.

“I'm sorry I asked, you don't have to answer. I wouldn't give my name to someone I didn't know ei—”

“Michael,” the boy stated, interrupting her nervous chatter. He seemed distressed, as if he were admitting a secret, but nonetheless gave her the answer. The boy stared back at the girl, who, for the third time, seemed paralyzed. It became apparent Michael felt a contentment he hadn't with Loomis or anyone else.

“Michael,” Laurie repeated with regard, the word making her feel a joy she couldn't explain. She could finally put a name to the face. The girl held out her dainty hand, wondering if he would take it considering she'd already seen him so far from his comfort zone. The boy looked at her hand as if it were a threat and appeared to be debating with himself internally. Laurie wanted him to trust her, to take her hand and hold it without worry, but she understood Michael needed time to reach that point. After a moment or two, she felt a warmer and larger hand encompass hers and her heart fluttered in excitement. She slowly tightened her grip on the hand and shook it, savoring every moment of the firm grip. It was comforting to seal a friendship, at least, she hoped they were friends now.

The male was, unsurprisingly, the first to break the contact and slid his hand out of the girl's soft grip. He looked at her with a certain serenity.

Laurie smiled and laid her hand back on her lap. Michael was still no talker, he said the bare minimum and was evidently uncomfortable with touch, as he hadn't made physical contact in years, but there was time. Laurie had time and so did Michael—she wouldn't give up on him. “Where do you come from, Michael?” She waited for an answer but this time she didn't want him to; it wasn't fair of her to force him to answer. “I'll stop with the questions. At least for now.” The girl chuckled and glanced at the clock.

Her shift ended 8 minutes ago.

“Shoot, I gotta get my things together. Can't leave my dad waiting or he'll start to lose it.” The teen stood abruptly and looked at the other with a final grin. “I'll see you again, Michael.” She waved and was relieved to see a faint smile grace his face. Laurie turned around and pranced to the door, leaving the patients behind. The girl began to whistle but accidentally knocked into something, causing a surprised yelp to escape her. She turned, and her eyes met a familiar face. “Nurse Chambers, I am so sorry! I'm not doing this on purpose I swear!” Laurie pleaded, recalling she'd scared the nurse on her first day as well.

The woman appeared distraught but nonetheless acknowledged her. “No, you're fine.” Marion put a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder and began to walk with her in a disconcerting manner.

“Hey, is everything alright?” the girl asked in concern. Laurie hadn't realized what she had done.

“I didn't mean to intrude, but I was going to check on you and, well, I saw you were busy.” Marion felt the girl tense beneath her. “You were talking to him, I see,” her voice echoed in concern.

“Why were you looking at us?” Laurie asked in disbelief. She stopped in her tracks, refusing to follow the woman any further.

The dark yet soft eyes of the nurse showed remorse. “I really didn't mean to, Laurie. I respect your privacy, but you were warned to not go near the Doctor's patient.” She sighed and looked away, unable to accept the pain in Laurie's eyes. “I'm not going to remove you from our volunteer program, but I am going to have to tell Loomis.” Chambers truly liked the girl, but it was unsettling she was so comfortable around the patient. Marion did, however, agree with Laurie to a degree. Michael was only dangerous because he had been made out to be by his own doctor, but she didn't like the idea of betraying her colleague.

Laurie was struck with incredulity. This was what she got for being nice to someone? “Well his patient has a name and a story. I respect you and your facility, but I don't respect the lack of acknowledgment of Michael as a person,” she stated naturally to the nurse she'd favored so much.

Marion was taken aback, not expecting to hear the words fall from her lips. “How do you know his name?” She leaned forward, inspecting the girl's fear-glossed eyes. “Did he say something to you?” The woman wondered how, and even if, it was possible. The woman had met Michael herself and saw the bottomless pit that existed within.

Laurie opened her mouth and made a noise, but she couldn't find the courage to speak so she closed it. She had just gotten Michael to trust her, so why would she tell the nurse if he spoke or not? “I would like to be left out of this. I am not part of some experiment. I just came here to help.” The girl turned to leave, but Marion urgently grabbed her arm. “Mrs. Chambers?”

“I-I always wanted to believe that boy had potential to be different than what he grew up with. I spoke with him when he was about nine years old, but I got nowhere. Loomis always told me there was nothing left. To this day, I've never accepted it as truth...and now I know there's a chance.” She moved herself in front of Laurie and set her hands on both of her shoulders. Marion did dare to cross Loomis if it meant saving someone's soul. “Tell me what happened, and I promise you, it will only be between us. I will protect you two from ever being caught, Loomis trusts me too much to question.” The woman bit her lip and watched the gears turn in the girl's head. “I promise, Laurie.”

Laurie stared at her reflection in the polished floor. What did she have to lose if it meant getting to know him more? “He spoke to me. Two words. Yes and Michael. I asked him if he spoke and what his name was.” She groaned, feeling as if she were breaking his trust already. “He-He smiled at me.” The guilt worsened. “Oh, Mrs. Chambers please don't say a word!” the girl pleaded. It meant everything to her that she got to see the boy again.

Chambers swiftly nodded, pulling Laurie into a warm embrace.  “Thank you for trusting me, but most of all, thank you for saving that boy from the darkness that had consumed him.” She closed her eyes and felt Laurie tighten her arms around her. Whether the girl was some angel from above, she didn't know, but she was willing to stand up for what she believed for so many years. She wouldn't give up and wouldn't let the two down.


	6. To the Light

**“** ** _Chambers believed you were Michael's weakness_**. She thought you could maybe even get him to a point where he might live an ordinary life.” He paused, staring at the written statements. “Had you known fourteen years prior he murdered his sister?”

“No, I hadn't.” The woman finally chose to speak in greater detail. “Michael could forget about it around me. He had a chance to become a new person around someone who didn't know his past,” she mused, her tone grave and bleak.

The officer nodded, interpreting her answer. “Would you have been less amiable if you knew?”

Laurie crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. “No. I saw a person who was emotionally disturbed in their past, but eager to change where they were. At least that was the case when I first knew him.” She was firm in her answer. It was pointless for her to deny the obvious any longer.

“You're forgetting to mention you were able to 'leave' the facility with him as well, weren't you?” The officer gave a grin. “Because you had help.” It seemed he took solace in the woman's vulnerabilities, like he wanted her to feel something from her ‘mistakes.’

Laurie appeared tense again, not wanting to speak of the subject any further, but she had to if she ever wanted to free herself from it. “Michael and I continued to speak, each time with greater detail. By July, I'd convinced Chambers he could leave that room with me. It took a lot of planning to avoid Loomis, but it worked.”

“Tell me from June 2nd to July 7th how your _relationship_ changed.” He put great emphasis on the word and Laurie Strode hated it.

 

✳✳✳

“Your mother isn't going to be happy when I tell her you didn't eat your vegetables!”

“They're disgusting, Laurie! Can I _please_ have some ice cream?” Tommy whined, looking at the nauseating peas and carrots staring back at him. He was very capable of eating them, but he knew he could get away with it when Laurie was around.

“Tommy, if I get you to eat just half of your plate, I will give you one scoop of ice cream. If you eat your whole plate, I'll let you have two, how does that sound?” the girl bribed. She stared at him, then to the untouched plate which got colder with every passing second.

The strawberry-blond bit the inside of his cheek and lazily grabbed his fork, pushing his chicken and veggies apart. “Deal. But I better get two big scoops,” he griped as he brought the revolting forkful to his mouth.

“Deal.” Sometimes the girl couldn't decipher whether she was a sensible babysitter or not, but if she got the job done, she didn't linger. “You better hurry up though, your mom will be here in about thirty-minutes and she doesn't like you eating any sugar.”

“Why are you in a rush? Did you get a boyfrieeend?” the boy teased. He smiled at her with a mouthful of chicken and peas and it made Laurie nauseated.

“Tommy!” She rolled her eyes. Laurie didn't have a boyfriend, just an obsession, an obsession she was feverish about seeing tonight. She never took late shifts on the weekend, but after an extensive conversation with Marion, she was delighted in taking it. It not only helped the nurse but gave her a chance to see Michael more intimately.

“What? You usually stay with me all night and play _Legos_ with me! You're the only one who lets me eat ice cream and read comics,” he groused, finishing the last bits of food on his plate.

Laurie smiled and walked over to him, fluffing up his hair. “Keep poking your nose into things that don't involve you and you won't be doing either. Weekends can be homework time instead of fun.” She gave a grin and grabbed the now empty plate, walking it to the sink. “How about you grab a comic under the couch and we'll read it when I'm done with the dishes.” The girl turned on the faucet once she heard the boy take off and grabbed a sponge, running it under the water until it became lukewarm. Her hand ran the plate under and poured soap on the dish, scrubbing it until every fragment of chicken was off it. She hummed to herself and once she was done washing, she toweled the cutlery off. “Tommy?” Laurie called out, wondering if he found a comic to read yet.

“How about Magnet-Man?” Tommy called back from underneath the sofa.

Laurie had to refrain from laughing at the title. “Magnet-Man is fine.” She smiled and laid the towel on the counter, walking over to the freezer to get the boy the two scoops as promised.

“Good, issue five came out the other day and I've been dying to read it.” He gave a cheeky grin as he ran back into the kitchen, comic in hand.

“Yeah, well if you want to continue reading it, you should find a better hiding spot than under the couch.” She grabbed an ivory bowl and placed two perfect scoops of vanilla ice cream in it. Laurie grabbed a spoon and gracefully set it in front of the boy. “Bon appétit: vanilla ice-cream.” The girl grabbed the comic as Tommy began to inhale the dessert. Her eyes glazed over the drawings and she nearly rolled her eyes, wondering who in their right mind thought of Magnet-Man.

“Can you read to me?” Tommy asked innocently, as if he were younger than six. It made her smile.

“Okay, okay.” Laurie flipped back to the first page and cleared her throat. “If Magnet Man's heading back to Earth, I'll assume that means four of my brothers are gone.”

_Flip_

“I had suggested the missing asteroids tactic to Doctor Wily. If it failed, then their destruction is on my—"

_Ring_

The girl promptly stood to get the door, but Tommy desperately latched onto her arm.

“My mom can't know about this, Laurie! I need to put it away!” he shrieked, grabbing the thin book. Tommy dashed to the orange-green sofa and slid it underneath.

“Well hurry up, Tommy,” Laurie yelled back, putting his already finished bowl in the sink for him. Once he was done hiding the evidence, she walked to the door and opened it. The girl smiled at the couple. “Hello Mrs. Doyle, Mr. Doyle.”

“Hello, Laurie! Tommy behaved fine, right?” the woman questioned, walking into the home and inspecting the living room for the boy. She was the harshest on Tommy, but that was because she had to deal with him daily.

“Yes, he was fine,” Laurie chuckled, wondering how busted Tommy would've been if she were honest. “Is there anything else I can do for you two tonight?” the girl asked, not necessarily because she wanted to, but because she was impatient to go to Smith's Grove.

“No, thank you very much for watching him last-minute. We didn't know we'd have to make it to that meeting,” Mr. Doyle replied, hanging his sweater on a rack fixed to the door. He turned to the girl and smiled. “We owe you one.”

“Oh, it was nothing, Mr. Doyle.” She smiled to herself and grabbed her cream-colored pullover. Her eyes scanned the house for Tommy, but he appeared to have run off to his room. “Bye Tommy!” Laurie yelled towards the stairs, wondering if he'd hear her. Once she heard a small voice call a similar sentiment, she smiled and walked toward the door. “Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Doyle!” she voiced to the couple, waving as she walked out the door. The blonde made her way to the sidewalk expecting to walk home but was surprised to find her friend already waiting for her.

 

✳✳✳

An hour of Annie's grouching about school, boys, and drugs passed until Laurie finally made it to the hospital and once she saw the building, her heart accelerated.

She knew it was wrong to feel such excitement, but this was her fifth meeting with Michael since he spoke to her. He only spoke one word, two at tops, and not frequently, plus the boy still hated touch. The girl had tested subtle things such as patting his shoulder goodbye or ‘accidentally’ tapping his shoe with hers, and both interactions were met with him tensing up and breaking contact. But today was a new day, and the first time she'd be working when Loomis wasn't. Chambers would be one of the only familiar faces there. She felt today was the day they could get somewhere.

The car pulled up to the door and Annie finished a rant about her boyfriend, Paul.

“Hey, if you want to have some fun tonight with Lynda, Bob, Paul, and I you know where to reach us.” The teen gave a wink, referring to nothing but sex and drugs. She always left an invitation open to her friend in case she decided to not be so virtuous, but that never happened.

Laurie gave a glare and opened her door. “That's not how I'd define fun, Annie.” She got out of the vehicle and leaned against it, the air beginning to cool slightly. “Hey, I'll see you on Monday okay? Try not to get too messed up, all four of you.”

“Fun-sucker.” Annie rolled her eyes, feeling Laurie was concealing something from her. She paused and wondered if she should even ask. “See you Monday, you candy-stripper.” She'd find out one way or another what was making Laurie act peculiar.

Laurie smiled and shut the door, turning away from the Monte Carlo with haste. She pulled her ash-blonde locks behind her ears and trekked into the hospital. The girl hummed to herself and stepped inside, surprised to see Marion waiting for her already. The girl didn't know if she should've been honored by the nurse's mania or not. “Hello, Mrs. Chambers.”

“Laurie! I have some stirring news!” The woman smiled, her rose tinted lips complimenting the softness of her face. She motioned her to follow and the girl did so, but with caution.

“What would that be?” Laurie queried, concerned about this news.

“It's nothing to worry about, I promise.” Marion turned to her as they walked on the elevator and made sure the doors closed before she spoke. “Would you be fine going outside with the patients today? We typically do this on the weekends and,” she trailed off then looked at the teen in anticipation. “How would you like to be one-on-one with Michael today, just like we talked about?” the brunette blurted. Chambers was happy for the girl and Michael, but anxious because she knew the risks that could come with it. She didn't want to fathom it, but there was still a chance Michael could become aware of his freedom and turn on the girl.

The blonde's stomach leapt, and she felt timid. She wasn't scared of the patient, she only feared her feelings for the patient. “I would like that, Mrs. Chambers, but wouldn't Doctor Loomis find out? I can't imagine Michael would want to speak to me so close to here.”

“That's why you'll be outside. You two can be away from the building without completely escaping. Loomis is my problem, and I assure you there is no way he will know. Let's call it a test.” She gave a wink and the elevator door opened.

Laurie followed her into the hallway with an awful notion that she was just a test subject. “Mrs. Chambers?”

The nurse halted and looked to the girl.

“If anything happens today, could I keep it to myself? I'll tell you if it's important but...I don't like reporting about him for personal discovery. That's not how it should work.”

The nurse stood in equanimity and nodded despite feeling let down by the request. “I promise. What's said is between you two.” Marion continued to walk. “Get dressed, I'm going to get everyone to the yard.”

Laurie nodded and parted ways with the taller woman. She hummed to herself as she ventured into the closet and removed her articles of clothing. “A test? She'd be listening and recording every word if she could,” the girl scoffed and grabbed the striped shirt, sliding it on. After she hung her shirt and sweater, she walked out of the small room and into the long hallway. She nervously reached for her hair and twirled it, but the excitement was rudely interrupted once she stopped in front of his room. If curiosity killed the cat, Laurie knew she would have used her nine lives and more years ago.

The girl made sure she was the only person in the hallway and slid herself to the doorway. Her hand unsteadily placed itself on the cold, metal handle she feared was locked, but it turned with ease. She bit her lip and gently pushed the door open. Her loafers contacted the cocoa-colored carpet and her eyes met with the bleached walls. Her immediate impression was emptiness. Only a bed laid on the right corner and a flimsy chair that Michael sat on to look outside. There was a vast window on the right wall before the chair, and it was the only comforting feature of the room. Laurie took a few steps forward and shut the door behind her, as not to raise suspicion. She didn't know where to begin as there was seemingly nothing. His bed looked entirely unused, and she wondered if it was tidied up or if he just never slept. The walls and carpets were spotless, so she had nothing to grab from it. She'd just have to look harder; there had to be a way the boy was so smart despite being in the facility since he was six. She began to think of where she could possibly find clues and when her feet led her to the bed, she had an idea.

The girl shook her head and leaned down. “Here goes nothing.” Her head lowered to the ground and her hand grabbed the frame, pulling it up ever so slightly.

_Bingo._

Leather-bound books cleverly laid in even piles to support the structure and it all made sense. The patient knew a lot through media, listening to the television and reading novels depicting human phenomena. He taught himself things covertly when Loomis or nurses were gone. Everything Michael knew he had to have read, it was the only way he could learn without leaving any tracks behind. Laurie recognized many classics, most of which she had read, and apprehensively reached for one. _Gone with the Wind_. The blonde held it and let the wooden frame fall back to the carpet. “Maybe Tommy did have the right idea,” she mused.

Her thumb ran along the surface of the novel and she stared at it as if it were buried gold. She gave a small smile and her heart surged as she flipped open to a page, and that was where the real surprise began. There were notes, a plethora of them, and many highlighted sections. The handwriting was shockingly elegant as were the words that followed. These were Michael's words, and the girl was astounded by his mind. Her finger ran along a note in the margin.

 

 

_Transformation of Southern culture; adversity versus willpower; land; female intelligence. The people who have brains and courage come through and the ones who haven't are winnowed out._

 

Laurie could have sat for the rest of the night reading the journal just to grasp how he thought or what he knew, but she heard the sudden clacking of a nurse's shoe and she catapulted herself into panic. Her hand swiftly hid the book under her sweater, and she attempted to make the bump not so noticeable. She led herself out the door and was grateful to find no one. Once she shut the heavy door, she transferred the book to her bag in the closet and waited for Marion to get her.


	7. We Won’t Speak Like This Again

**_Laurie hummed to herself and pulled at her cable knit tights,_** wondering when the nurse would come back. The patients seemed so dull in their environment that she was surprised upon discovering they got sunlight elsewhere than the windows. She stared at the reception desk and leaned against it, wondering if anyone besides Loomis ever worked on the upper-floor. There were always a few nurses that made stops to the rooms, but other than that, the area seemed like a dead zone. Maybe they were all afraid.

There were pens, pencils, and hi-lighters scattered on the workstation, perhaps where Michael was able to steal his note-taking supplies. She would have read the charts that laid on the surface, but she was beginning to grow agitated at the rate Chambers was moving. It took minutes until the woman came back for her. Marion's steps signaled her arrival.

“Are you ready?” the nurse beamingly probed.

Laurie gave a nod and pulled herself away from the desk, her legs feeling the slightest bit stiff. “As ready as I'll ever be.” The teen silently followed the nurse to an exit she'd never seen before. “How do you know no one runs off out there?” _I know I would_ , she thought to herself.

“I'm not the only one who watches over them. We have a specific area where they all stay to sit, play chess, or whatever is suitable. If they are bored with games, they can take a walk on the garden trails, but they need to be accompanied. There will be four nurses there with us, there’s nothing to worry about.” Marion opened the door and let Laurie walk ahead of her. “You could play chess with them if you'd like. If you and Michael would like to take a walk, you could.” Her tone indicated she was favoring the second option.

Laurie let her legs lead her into the sunny paradise.

For a sanitarium, the yard wasn't bad. The grass was a fluorescent green and there were flowers of every type surrounding the neatly placed bricks where tables stood. It was a breathtaking view and a place where Laurie could have dozed off or read if she wanted to. There were many smiles upon the faces of the patients playing chess or solitaire with the various nurses. The groups consisted of four to five people and they were all engaged in the task at hand.

The girl chuckled to herself. “Why can't they do this every day?” If she were in charge, she would let them have the most normalcy they could. Being cooped up in the sanitarium must've made them mad, or at least madder than they were before.

Marion shrugged, disappointed in the answer she had to offer. “Loomis is too paranoid. You see, before Michael he was easygoing, he cared deeply about the recovery process of every patient. Every day he would let us take each patient outside, but after '63 he would never let anyone out, at least not on his watch. He thought Michael would escape and,” she paused, electing to not frighten Laurie from the patient she became acquainted with. “I don't think he'll change as long as he is Loomis' patient.”

Strode's eyes glazed over the tables and found Michael sitting at an empty one; he stuck out like a sore thumb as he looked to the sky without sentiment. Laurie turned and focused her attention to the nurse, her heart beating faster. He was so different. Why he was menacing to his psychiatrist she had no clue, but she did know beyond the inexpressive exterior was a perceptive person who knew how to feel. She bit her lip. “Why would he do such a thing?”

“His silence scares the Doctor,” the brunette replied plainly to avoid the specifics. Marion looked to the tables and patted the Laurie’s shoulder. “I'm going to help the others. Feel free to roam.”

Laurie watched her walk off and wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering slightly. She was beyond nervous, to the point where her heart hit her throat, but she made her way to the desolate table. The girl cleared her throat and sat herself across from the boy lost in thought, the boy who involuntarily looked charming no matter what he did. Her cheeks became warm despite the frigid air. “Hey, long time no see,” she beamed, knowing well it had only been a few days since she'd last seen him. His eyes darted to hers and at once, they went from an abyss to aware. It made her happy. “I didn't know you guys got to do stuff out here. Less depressing than in there, I assume.” Laurie always started off with small-talk because she never knew how he felt. If she was the only one he recognized though, she assumed it meant something.

“Perhaps,” the brunette replied with a faint smile. He stared at the girl expectantly, as if wondering what she had to say.

Laurie smiled back, her blue eyes penetrating his. He was even more arresting with the glow of the sunset on his face. She had never seen him outside before and she was awfully glad she did. There was such an intensity yet grace to his face, just by looking at it, she knew he was perceptive. The girl couldn't look away even if she tried. “So, you like being inside?” she teased.

His smile grew and he appeared interested. “I don't like either.”

It was odd. The more Laurie spoke, the more words she was able to get out of him. Four words was now a record. The girl nervously twirled her hair—she wanted to hear more of his voice. “Well, we could leave this crowd and take off somewhere else. How does that sound?” Laurie didn't know she had the guts to ask, but she was feeling confident, she only needed him to say yes. Never had the girl asked him to break away from his detached shield, but it was time for change. She felt she would suffer if she didn't know more about him.

Michael arched a brow at her and tilted his head slightly. He was confused as to how they could just 'take off' and why would she want to? “Unrealistic,” he replied honestly.

Laurie nodded and stood, making a bolder move and holding her hand out to him. She wanted to be alone with Michael because this could've been her only chance. “Come with me. I promise you.”

It was a nerve-wracking few moments. He seemed to be very uncomfortable with the idea and aware of his surroundings. There were many factors she hadn't thought of, such as if any of the patients or nurses saw or Michael being upset at the mere suggestion. The girl knew he was going to say no, but before she could pull away and sit back down, he stood. He never took her hand, but he stood.

_Progress._

“Let's go.” Laurie grinned and laid her hand back to her side, scampering to the path covered by bushes, trees, and other greenery; she was mindful of others not catching them take off. Once the two reached the garden and couldn't see anyone sitting or playing chess, there was a feeling of increased intimacy. Suddenly, they didn't have to share their world with the others. What they said was only heard by them and what they saw was only seen by them; it was a wonderful feeling. Laurie grinned and motioned for the patient to follow. “I promised, now we're not under surveillance.” She walked ahead of Michael and turned towards him, walking backwards. “So, let me ask you again. Do you like being outside?”

Michael gave a sly grin, his eyes locked on her face. “As a matter of fact, I do.” He felt some form of contentment with the girl, and with this newfound freedom, he wanted to speak. It was the first time in years he wanted to express his thoughts.

Laurie nodded, trying not to let her excitement of the seven words phase her. This was their time now. “I do too,” she spoke, wondering where to start without digging too deep. “I'd normally get burgers with my friends and try to enjoy the ambiance of summer, but they're too into other things.”

“A burger,” Michael mused, trying to come up with a proper recollection. “Haven't had one in years, forgot what they taste like.” He looked over to see an astounded face staring back at him, as if he had committed some crime.

If Laurie were honest, she was shocked by the burger fact, but more so that Michael had spoken the longest phrase she'd ever heard from him. “That's plain awful! They're amazing and you need to try one!” He gave her a face that seemed to ask, _‘how could I do that’_ and it made her laugh. She looked to the roses in the garden and picked out every detail as they walked, finding joy in Michael’s presence. “Besides burgers, do you ever feel trapped in there?” Her speech grew feeble because she was afraid to ask the question.

Michael didn't like talking about feelings, especially his own, but he elected he would for Laurie. “No...I just get lost,” he paused uncertainly, “forget reality.” It was bizarre to hear the sound of his own voice, as he'd never heard it in the fourteen years he was there. He didn't feel trapped, he didn't feel anything, and if he did, he consciously avoided it.

“And what's the reality?” Laurie asked nervously. She wanted to know why he felt the way he did.

He abruptly stopped and she followed suit. Michael tried to piece his thoughts together, even if it felt straining. “Some things can't be changed, they just,” the boy struggled, “need to be recognized.” The patient did not elaborate because he didn't feel safe enough to.

The girl took a moment to grasp Michael's words, then it clicked. He couldn't change the physical or mental prison he lived in, but he could accept it and come to understand it. “You're the least mad person I've met,” she remarked sincerely. Laurie took a step closer to him and gazed to the face that became profounder by the second. “Why are you here?” A daring question, but one she asked herself from the moment she met him.

Michael looked down and his penetrating eyes met hers. “Why are you?” He gave a grin and walked past her, observing the trees that danced in the breeze.

“Touché.” Laurie followed in a haze, unable to see that she was falling in love with everything about him. She loved his face, his inviting words, his mind—she loved him. He was still but a mystery to her, though.

They stayed silent for a bit, absorbing the beauty of the summer evening. Michael appeared composed and Laurie eyed the boy in fascination. Both felt something different, something new, but they knew not what.

“Why have you never spoken to anyone else around here but me?” Laurie questioned innocently, breaking the stillness.

Michael appeared distraught by the question, as if he wanted to ignore it. “You're not desperate for an answer.” He shrugged, focusing on other aspects of their environment. The patient didn't want her to know why he was such a ‘menace’—he never liked the question of why because whys required an explanation. For better or worse, he tried not to linger. To him, being numb didn't bring the convoluted feelings that came with emotion, and that was why Laurie scared him. He felt around her because she stoked a fire inside of him, one that was growing. Michael was petrified, but he couldn't let go, not even if he tried.

“You should talk more...it suits you.” Laurie examined him as they walked and was taken aback by just how perspicacious and obscure the boy was. For a quiet person, Michael was loud, very loud. Laurie spotted a stone bench amid the greenery and led herself to it. She sat, motioning the boy to do the same, then moved over in case she was too close for his taste.

Michael made his way over to her and sat, feeling to some extent uneasy. He looked to her and arched a brow. “Why do you talk to me?” The boy, again, used her questions against her.

Laurie felt herself become flushed, as she'd never thought of an answer to that. “It's hard to find people that collect knowledge and use it. Sometimes I feel like I'm some alien around others because I care about things they find foolish.” She crossed one leg over the other and looked back to him, questioning what he was thinking about.

Michael rested his hand on the bench, finding it almost ironic. They were both cast out of what was considered normal. As much as Laurie thought of him an odd creature, he thought the same of her. He'd never seen a girl as young as her for years and Laurie wasn't what he remembered them as. He just remembered _her_ ; he had only heard that name since that horrific night.

Laurie pondered what Michael was able to feel. Did he ever feel sad, depressed, or lonely? She wondered if he had even experienced much at all, as he left society when he was six, and that age to his presently was a pivotal point in an individuals' life, yet he remained in ‘treatment.’ She twirled her hair. “Why does Doctor Loomis treat you the way he does? You've never done anything to him.”

Michael looked ahead, silence slowly consuming him again. Those were questions he had no will to answer. Every day since that night, he had been forced to remember it all and face he was but a slave to his criminal mind for the rest of his life. Michael unwittingly allowed himself to become a statue again, which discouraged the girl next to him.

Laurie shivered, the cool night breeze picking at her. She would have dwelled on wishing she brought another coat, but she upset herself by asking the boy such an insensitive question. Without assessing the boy’s state, she instinctively moved her hand forward and onto his shoulder. “Michael?”

The boy roused from the mental disconnect and looked to the hand on his shoulder and to the girl, gently pulling away. The girl's delicate hand was nearly frozen, and Michael was startled to feel guilt upon moving. He never felt for others—he never felt. The patient looked back to her in both fear and care.

“I'm sorry I asked, it wasn't my business.” Laurie removed her hand from the stone bench and found herself missing the warmth of the other. The teen hugged herself in hopes of warming up and ran her loafers along the cement tiles. “You know I'd never try to hurt you, right?” Laurie never wanted him to feel as if a simple touch meant unease, but how could he have known when it had been so long? “Friends don’t mean any harm by physically communicating. They usually pat shoulders or shake hands, well, in a complicated way,” she shrugged, “or they just hug to make it easier.” To her relief, Michael smiled.

“You don't need to explain. It's just odd being out like this.” He grinned, gently tapping her foot with his to corroborate his point. Maybe he was finally getting comfortable.

The girl smiled. She smiled because those words were the most human words she'd heard him say. It was just a second ago she thought she’d lost him with an ignorant question, but Michael understood she was at a dead-end with his obscure actions and responses. It was a reminder that he was understanding and imperfect as well. Laurie chuckled and looked to his captivating eyes. He was undeniably attractive, but she wouldn't let herself come to terms with the word ‘crush’ yet. She wondered if Michael felt those sorts of things, or if he even knew what romance was. Laurie then reminded herself of the novels he read, novels that assured he had to know about love or what it felt like. She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Are you comfortable with me?”

Michael stared at her and then looked to the ground. “Yes.” The boy genuinely meant he had no lingering doubt or suspicion about her. If Michael trusted her, that meant he trusted no one else. To the girl, it was a special feeling.

Laurie stood, holding her hand out to him. “Sun's getting low, we should make our way back.” Her chest filled with delight as she felt a warmth enclose her hand, and he stood in-front of her.

Michael looked down at the girl and took note of their height difference. He didn’t, however, break away from her like he habitually did, and he kept his hand enfolding hers.

It was a silent moment. Nothing was awkward, it was just them among the stars and trees. They both looked at each other in wonder, unable to deny the closeness they felt now more than ever. Michael's hand softly let go of hers and they walked back to the yard of the sanitarium at a leisurely pace. They weren't ready to part company yet, but both knew they had to.

As soon as Laurie registered they were at the entrance of the trail, she halted, grabbing Michael's arm so he'd face her. Once he did, she smiled. “Friends?”

Michael nodded. “Of course.”


	8. Don’t Get Any Closer

**_July 7 th, 1978_ **

 

 _This is crazy_ , Laurie thought to herself as she drove Annie's Monte Carlo to Smith's Grove. It stunk of tobacco and cheap perfume, but she gladly took it for her late venture. She would have taken her father's car, but he worked too late and her friend had nowhere to be that wasn't in walking distance. The teen didn’t drive often since every place she went was fairly simple to walk to, but she had everything under control when she was behind the wheel. Laurie skimmed through songs on the radio and whistled a tune to keep herself company.

It had been a month since she and Michael began to speak to each other, and within that month, their conversations became more relaxed. Laurie couldn't deny, though, that the more their conversations grew, so did her feelings. She scolded herself for having such feelings for a patient she was only supposed to assist, but he was much more than an ill person. When she looked at him, she saw a handsome face, but when she looked to his eyes, she saw something even more arresting. Laurie still didn't know much about him, but she learned he was no fool. He knew a lot, sometimes more than her, but Michael always held more below the surface. He was an irresistible mystery. Loomis and Marion never heard a word from him, and perhaps they never would. She was the exception.

Michael was, almost effortlessly, able to become a different person when Laurie was present. Chambers knew how much the two clicked. She did everything in her power to keep anyone from discovering their growing bond, and now she began to suspect it was becoming a relationship different than what she had anticipated. Marion sensed Laurie liked him to a greater extent than just a companion. She was not wrong.

The girl pulled into the parking lot of the sanitarium and parked the cherry red car the closest she could to the entrance. She turned the key in the ignition and leaned back in her seat, taking a deep breath. “You can do this,” she whispered to herself. Laurie pulled her hair back and pressed her lips together, hearing the gentle click of her seatbelt as it slid back. Laurie then reached for her bag and slung it over a shoulder with care. As she opened the door and walked out, she began to feel butterflies in her stomach, and they frightened her to death. She wanted to deny how she felt, but her mind always betrayed her, and she would have to suffer with the feeling. Laurie continued toward the structure, her legs growing cold even through her thick jeans. She stopped once she reached the door and had the instinct to look through the small glass portion, just to see if Marion was there. To her relief, the nurse was and Strode promptly made her way inside the facility then to the woman. “Is Loomis here?” she requested silently. It was a Friday evening, so she couldn't have been sure.

“You're in luck! He just left about ten minutes ago,” Marion replied with a grin. “All the patients are in their rooms for the night. Michael’s room is A-2201. A nurse starts her shift in about twenty minutes, so be careful.” Chambers clicked her pen, writing something on a sign-in sheet that had Laurie's name on it.

“Alright then, I'll watch out,” Laurie murmured as she made her way to the elevator. Once she was in, she hurriedly pressed a button and impatiently waited until she arrived at the second floor. She wanted to know why her and Michael couldn't simply leave this place; it seemed an opportune moment to take him into the world with her, even if it were only for a night. Her legs rode down the white maze, then to the double-doors coated in chipped paint. Laurie didn't bother putting on her striped shirt because tonight, she was only there for him. She walked to the hall containing Michael's room and immediately spotted it. Laurie walked in front of the door and went on the tips of her toes to see if he was looking out the window or not. The girl had to squint for a moment, but once she spotted the boy sitting on his bed reading, she smiled and knocked on the door.

He didn't move, though. He acted as if he hadn’t heard anything.

“Hey, it's Laurie,” the girl said loudly enough for Michael to hear, but not disturb the other patients. Laurie pat the door with more force, but still, there was no movement. The girl struggled to think of a solution and bit her lip, opening her bag. There she found a mini pad of paper and ripped a piece before grabbing a pen from the lonely desk. Laurie quickly wrote, _it's Laurie please open the door,_ just so he knew it wasn't some nurse without a key checking on him. She folded the paper and walked back to the door, kneeling before shooting it underneath the slab. Laurie stood and tapped her foot nervously, wondering if he saw, or even dared, to touch the note.

It took a few moments for Michael to open the door, and when he did, Laurie smiled instantly, her stomach refilling itself with excitement. There the boy stood, with his brown locks slightly disheveled and falling over his forehead, which Laurie could only assume was because Michael never had a visitor so late. She rather liked the look, though.

Michael arched a brow. “Hello?” he greeted, seeming unsure as to why she was there.

“May I come in or are you busy?” Laurie's smile extended, and she leaned against the doorframe. Her fingers unconsciously went to twirl her hair.

Michael leaned against the doorframe as well, mocking her. “Why are you here?” He smirked, feeling the furthest from bothered. The truth was he was just as happy to see her.

“Well, I was wondering if you were hungry,” she spoke, her heart fluttering as his eyes bore into hers. “I brought burgers.” Laurie shrugged, as if belittling them. “Also known as the greatest food on the planet.” The girl had planned it for some time. It wasn't the real world, but it was as close as she could to get him to it, and someone who hadn't had a burger in years knew the true meaning of suffering.

Michael nodded and his smile grew. “I guess I have to let you in then.” He chuckled and opened his door for the girl, making sure to fully close it once she was in. He walked over to his bed and grabbed the book he was reading, putting it off to the side by his pillow so he could continue it later.

Laurie felt nervous. They had been alone many times, but to be in a blank bedroom together seemed like an invasion of space. If she could take Michael somewhere, she would have, but Marion stressed he could not leave under any circumstances. Whether he couldn't leave because of Loomis, she didn't know, but she made the best of what she got. “ _In Cold Blood_?” she asked, catching the cover he moved to the side.

Michael nodded and sat on the side of his bed, facing her. “Truman Capote. Haven't gotten around to reading his work,” he admitted, knowing the girl was a bookworm like him. The only difference was she read for pleasure, he read by nature.

“I guess you haven't read _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ , then. I could give you my copy if you'd like.” Laurie smiled, bringing the chair by the window to the bed. “Or I could just spoil every book for you.”

Michael made an expression of disbelief. “Then we would not be friends anymore.” He shook his head and smiled. “Seriously, what are you doing here?”

Laurie set her bag down and lifted a large paper bag that laid inside. It smelt of grease and fries and had obnoxious red lettering on it that read _Burger Chef_ with an equally obnoxious face below it. She opened it and handed Michael a warm burger and a warmer order of fries. Laurie was elated by his confusion. “This is the best burger in all of Illinois, I promise you.”

Michael smiled to himself. After living on a diet of salad, tea, fish or chicken, bread, and soup, everything and anything was decidedly better. “Thank you,” he spoke quietly and unwrapped the burger, examining it as if it were a foreign object. Once he decided it was safe to eat, he took a bite, his teeth only sinking into a small portion of it. The boy chewed it and was amazed by how flavorful it was.

“Well? What do you think?” Laurie questioned in an amused fashion as she ate a few fries. She hoped she wasn't making him feel like some zoo exhibit, but it was just instinct to stare at him.

“Salty, but the best thing I've ever eaten.” He took another less hesitant bite of the burger then ate a couple fries, which he also took a liking to.

“Ever try soda?” Laurie smiled, grabbing two glass coke bottles out of her bag. They clinked as she sat one in between her legs and held one out to him.

“Of course, just long ago,” he trailed, and took the bottle handed to him, seeming more eager to drink than touch his food. One would think the whole burger would've been demolished, but he was satisfied with the little bit he ate. The food was sensory overload compared to the bland food he barely touched. The truth was, eating at a hospital was only done to keep functioning, not to enjoy it.

The two finished eating and drinking while making small talk about Capote, but the two were abruptly interrupted when they heard someone walk down the halls. They looked at each other with alarm. The steps stopped and continued, each time coming closer to the room and they looked around to devise a plan.

Laurie darted to the window but was distraught once she found there was no way of opening it. _Of course, they don't want to encourage escape_ , she thought to herself mid-panic. Her feet frantically moved around the room and she scorned the design of the sanitarium. There was no place to hide because the room was so blank, she couldn't even hide under the bed if she wanted to. “We need a plan. Quickly!” she said in a half scream-half whisper to the other.

Michael nodded at Laurie then stood. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room, so they had to attempt to make it work and keep the girl hidden. He stared down the blanket and immediately ripped it from the neat state it was in. Michael motioned her over and held the heavy fabric up as she scurried onto the bed and under the tent. Once she was settled, he dropped the blanket over her and made it appear bunched, so her form wasn't so visible. He sat on the bed next to the clump that was Laurie and centered his attention to the window, becoming eerily still.

Laurie held her legs to her chest and attempted to control her breathing under the constricted conditions. She was more fearful of Michael being caught than herself. She'd never done anything like this before, going behind people's backs and not obeying the rules. The girl let herself sink into the bed and took in a deep breath through her nostrils. She hadn't a clue how Michael slept, if he slept, on the thin mattress and bedding that smelt of bleach—it was the furthest thing from relaxing. Her breath hitched as she heard a key run itself into the handle of the door. Laurie's chest compressed under the pressure of the sudden stop of the key and the door gave a creak that filled the silent room. The footsteps were now clear. She could tell it was a woman from the sound of heels on the hard floor, most likely the nurse that started her shift. Laurie almost wished Michael would move to offer some form of comfort; it was chilling how the boy could hold such silence and stiffness.

A full minute of deafening silence went by before Laurie heard the heels clack back toward the door and she had to refrain from sighing in relief. Between the smell of burgers and the odd position of the blankets, she believed they'd be caught, but they were fortunate the nurse wasn't thorough. The door creaked a farewell and both parties slackened as the key moved to lock the door. Once she was gone, Laurie immediately pushed the blankets away and desperately inhaled the fresh air in the room.

“Are you alright?” Michael asked in concern as he reached over to help pull the cover off her.

“I'm fine, just claustrophobic,” she joked. Laurie swung her legs over the side of the bed and placed her hands on the sheets, pulling herself to the edge. The blonde ran her fingers through her disheveled hair and scooped it back in hopes of fixing it. “Do they watch you guys as you sleep?” she gave a soft scoff. They were within their rights, but she didn't agree with it.

Michael looked at her as if she were clueless. “Of course, we're incapable of staying in a bed all night.” His words were full of sarcasm and Laurie laughed at the statement. He smiled as her laugh graced his ears.

It wasn't often the boy was sarcastic or playful, so she enjoyed any bits of personality she could get from him. Laurie looked to the bed and hummed. “Do you ever sleep in this place?”

He took a second to think about the question. “Rarely. I'd rather read than be left with nothing.” Michael hummed, as if he were confirming the answer he gave. The truth was he didn't like subjecting himself to the will of any nurse that may come in. When he was awake, no one could do anything in secrecy.

Laurie turned back to him in disbelief. “That sounds awful,” she paused and thought of Marion and her refusal to let her take Michael away from Smith’s Grove. It was sad that someone with potential had to be locked up, but then again, she didn't know why he was. “Could you ever leave this all behind?”

Michael's heart skipped a beat. That was a question he had thought about frequently with the court date coming. He would explain, but he didn't want to think about it. Laurie had only seen a piece of him, and he prayed she would never find the things he hid from her. The boy wondered if she would classify him as evil as well. “I don't know.” It all depended on him.

Laurie bit her lip and nodded. She wanted Michael more than anything in the world, but this place was a barrier between them, and she didn't know if he felt the same, or if he ever would. The girl pulled her legs back onto the bed and sat. “Well, in the meantime, how about I get you up to date with the world?”

Michael turned to face her, confused. “I listen to the news, sneak a paper when I can, that's enough of the world to know.”

“Let me ask you this: what was the last song you listened to?” Laurie gave a sly grin.

Another question he had to think over. “I think it was Earth Boy, some Elvis movie soundtrack,” he stated calmly, not realizing his words contradicted his claim.

The girl laughed, noting he had only early 60s musical knowledge. Laurie didn't mind though, she too enjoyed Elvis, but she doubted he'd be familiar with newer music. Gone were the times of rock and roll; club, funk, and hard rock had taken over the musical sphere. “Ever hear of Player? Kansas? Queen?” She placed her back on the bed frame comfortably and continued to run through artists, but he knew none. Laurie came to the decision she'd have to bring her boom box and bring him up-to-date. While she enjoyed how practical he was, he deserved to know what he was missing.

Michael would have enjoyed being away from Smith's Grove, but he felt that would only be true if it were with Laurie. He didn't know what inner-demons would continue to numb him if he left, he never thought about it. The boy often wondered if he should've let himself become as close as he was to the girl. He wanted to warn her to not get any closer, but he needed her closer.

Laurie twirled her hair and stared at Michael, who appeared to be zoning out, becoming a statue again. She never enjoyed seeing him emotionless, blank, because he'd been like that most of his life and he deserved to speak; his voice was beautiful. “Michael, are you okay?” Laurie leaned forward in concern. The girl wanted to know why he tended to cut himself off from everyone. She’d told him before it was never her intent to hurt him.

“Nothing, just thinking,” he replied, re-centering his attention to her face. He appeared disturbed which, in turn, made Laurie worry.

“You think a lot,” the teen said in a near whisper, and her hand fell from her hair to her lap. “You can tell me anything, you know.” Nothing would have made her happier than knowing what Michael dealt with. There had to be a reason his life turned out the way it had and why Loomis thought of him as a lost cause, a threat. He was no threat to her.

“I'm fine,” he said sternly. Michael sighed and swung both his legs onto the bed, sitting in the same position as Laurie to face her directly. “You were talking about music?”

“Yeah,” she murmured as she looked to his piercing green eyes, intimidated by the sudden closeness. Her fingers apprehensively made their way to the sheets and danced around the material. Laurie wanted to understand why the rest of the world didn't matter when she was with him; she even disobeyed her good-girl mentality just to be closer to him. The blonde shifted her gaze to his lips and her heart beat faster. She would, she truly would, but she just couldn't. This wasn't meant to be more, but she needed more. “I'll bring music next time...teach you Elvis and beyond.” Laurie gulped and looked away, afraid that with each second she stared, she would just fall harder.

“It's a date then,” he beamed, leaning forward comfortably. Michael stared at the girl and couldn't help but wonder why Laurie had moments where she seemed like the bravest girl in the world then the shyest the next. Michael's eyes remained engrossed in the girl's beauty and he forgot any thought he'd had prior. He’d never seen her face so close since she sat next to him in the garden and now, he was able to thoroughly observe her.

She had flawless ivory skin with the slightest tan and large blue eyes, which were outlined by her long eyelashes that had a small amount mascara on them. Her neck was long and complimented the length of her thin face. His eyes went to her lips and took note of the rosy-pearl tint they had as well as how smooth they looked. Laurie held such a vulnerable look and Michael didn't deny her prettiness.

Laurie looked back to him and felt incapable of breathing. She needed to touch him, she needed to feel him and know him, but she couldn't. The girl was just a volunteer and a high-school virgin; she should never have gone behind the Doctor's back and let her feelings grow legs and walk her even further to collapse. Feeling guilty, she backed away and gave a warm smile. “It's a date.”

Before the moment could last, all the lights in the hallway turned off and the girl realized she'd lost track of time. Her eyes went to the clock and it read 10:00 pm. The girl immediately stood. Her parents were probably worried sick, and she didn't know when Annie needed her car back. “Oh, I didn't know it was this late! I'm so sorry—”

“It's okay.” Michael gave a sad smile and stood, walking away from his bed and putting the flimsy chair back to the window. He watched as the girl stood, looking as if she needed something. The boy moved in-front of her and stepped closer. “What's wrong?” he worrily asked, his voice filling the vacant room.

“May I hug you?” Laurie requested hurriedly so she wouldn't shy away and end up regretting it. The teen wanted more than anything to feel closer to him, despite the guilt that came with it.

The boy in front of her lifted his head slightly, revealing his sharp jawline. After he appeared to be bracing himself for it, he nodded his head hesitantly. Michael felt the other lunge at him and he sharply inhaled. Her arms tightly wrapped around him and her cheek rested soundly on his upper chest. It felt so foreign, but at the same time compassionate—it felt like he was given a piece to a puzzle that had been missing for so long. He was terrified by it, but at the same time he wanted to hold on endlessly and shield her from the world.

Laurie felt a comfortable heat cover her and she prayed her heartbeats weren't harsh enough to be felt. She wrapped her arms around him tighter and savored every moment of it, her eyes closing as her cheek warmed against him. He smelled of an even mixture of cleanliness, muskiness, and fresh air. Her legs grew feeble once she felt his arms wrap around her torso, pulling her lithe body closer. If this was love, she knew she was knee-deep in it. The girl could never fathom being so passionate over some person, but now she understood. Laurie wanted him because she felt defective without seeing him or knowing what he felt. This may have been friendship, but it felt unlike any other she had encountered.

Michael held onto Laurie for a moment longer, his larger hand resting on her waist. He didn't know how to describe the feeling, but he knew for once he didn't want to let go. The boy gently pat her back and removed himself from her. “Thanks for everything, Laurie.”

Laurie smiled and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. She savored the feeling of him and treasured hearing her name fall from his lips. “No problem. Next time, music class. Be there or be square,” she chuckled, walking toward the door.

“I'll be there.”

“Good,” she smiled. “I'm counting on it.” This was what she had wished for and more.


	9. Admiring You From a Distance

**“You never questioned him.** ** _Why?”_** the officer paused, leaning in dangerously close to Laurie. “You had no clue about the murder of Judith Myers. Hell, you never even knew his name was Myers. There was a reason Loomis kept you away, so why?” He looked to the file as if it were a joke, then shifted his gaze to her, wanting nothing but the truth.

Laurie's eyes were unmoving, and she felt cold as the memories bore into her mind. She never thought about them because she wanted to forget, but the forty-year-old wounds were still fresh. “I thought the Doctor was insane. He said Michael was evil, but whenever I met with him, I saw anything but evil.” The woman adjusted her glasses. “I trusted Michael because he was sweet,” she paused and looked to the sheriff. “Believe it or not, but there was a time hate didn't exist in his heart. He wasn't psychotic.” She bit her cheek and attempted to not let her emotions get the best of her. “I liked him because he was different. He looked at the world through a neutral lens and,” she trailed, a lump forming in her throat. “He—He cared about me.” It was the hardest thing for her to say because the man that ruined her life had also made it so wonderful.

“I think you forgot to mention you loved him, and he loved you. Didn't he?” The man twirled his pen around his fingers, cutting to the facts. He inspected Laurie's wrinkled face, which appeared to be tired from the emotional torment. “July 21st, though,” he smiled and shook his head. “What a story. This was only the catalyst, though, wasn't it?” His fingers slid across the page and located the passage with the date. “I wonder if you have any regrets, Strode,” his voice hummed grimly as he began to read. “Must be hard knowing love from someone who taught you pain.”

 

✳✳✳

 

Laurie yawned as the words in front of her strained her eyes. She had been reading all day because there was nothing to do, and she wanted to find a new Capote novel. _Other Voices, Other Rooms_ was his first as well as a southern gothic. The teen thought it was over-embellished but continued until she had the bulk of it finished. She didn't know what time it was, just that it was later, and she should probably look. Laurie wanted to forget time, just so the day would go faster, and she'd see him. It never worked, but she tried to make herself productive as to not think obsessively.

“Laurie, dear, dinner's ready!” her mother's voice rang from the kitchen. The whole house smelled of seasonings which led Laurie and her father to wonder what she could have possibly made. The woman was rather exotic when food was thrown into the equation.

“Alright,” the blonde called back, flipping one last page before she ventured to the table. Once she finished the last line, Laurie placed her book face down on the sofa and looked up to the ceiling, letting her body lazily slide down the seat.

“Food's getting cold!” the voice yelled back.

“One second!” Laurie yelled back in exaggeration. She pulled herself up and began to feel dizzy from the extensive sitting she had done. The girl grabbed the couch as her dizzy spell passed and walked to the kitchen, where the table was set with plates full of different components. One plate held chicken and beef, the other held salad fixings, and another tortillas. In bowls were what appeared to be beans and guacamole. Laurie looked to her mom. “What's all this?”

“A taco bar! Clever, huh?” She winked and sat next to her husband, grabbing her empty plate and reaching for a tortilla.

“You're a genius, hon,” Mister Strode replied sarcastically, a goofy smile plastered on his face. “You just forgot the salsa.”

“Too spicy, Morgan!” Pamela refuted, rolling her eyes.

Laurie sat down and shook her head. “I think you two forgot your table manners.”

“Someone brought the spice, Pamela, and it wasn't me.” Morgan grinned and took a sip of water, unsurprisingly being elbowed by Mrs. Strode after.

“Dad, you're not funny,” Laurie stated, suppressing a laugh. Her father was actually hilarious, she'd just never admit it.

“Of course I am. You just don't want to taco 'bout it.” He unsurprisingly cackled at his own joke and so did Laurie, who was on the verge of spitting out the food in her mouth.

“Cut it out you two, or someone's going to choke!” Pamela lectured, staring at them as if they were little children in need of supervision.

Laurie swallowed her bite and smiled, pointing her fork at her dad accusingly. “He started it.”

“Okay, maybe I did,” he admitted through his full mouth. Once he swallowed, he looked to his daughter and cleared his throat. “All jokes aside, do you need the car to head over to Smith's Grove tonight?” Mister Strode averted his eyes from his food and waited for an answer.

Laurie arched a brow and took a sip of her ice-cold water. “Since when do you not work on a Friday night?”

“Since tonight. I am ahead of schedule, so I don't need to go out.” He smiled, wondering if the girl was curious or in disbelief that he'd let her borrow the car.

“Well, yeah, I could use it then.” She gave a smile in return, finishing her single taco. Laurie wanted to leave as soon as possible to see the boy.

“How are things going over there, hon? You never really talk about it,” her mom pitched in.

“Oh, um,” she paused, finding herself taken aback from the comment. “They're fine. Just normal hospital stuff.” Laurie cringed at her sad excuse of an answer.

The woman nodded and arched a brow, tilting her head. “Have you helped any patients, met anyone?”

The teen put her fork down and leaned back, becoming nervous. There was no way her mother could have known about Michael, she just had to stay calm. “Yeah, a nice woman Diane, some older men that watch golf.” She pushed her seat back and stood, gently picking up her plate and running it to the sink.

“When will your hours be over there?” her father inquired, turning to look back at her.

“In a few months,” she trailed anxiously, not fond of lying to her parents. Laurie had plenty of hours and could have quit after a couple months in, but life took an unexpected turn. She looked to the clock that read 6:07. Her shift started in forty-three minutes and it was a half-hour drive. “I'm going to take off, traffic and all.” Anything to avoid being caught and to see Michael.

“Oh...okay, honey. Just be careful getting home, okay?” her mom pouted, wondering how late she'd be home and why she was eager to leave. She’d noticed certain habits her daughter had picked up within the past month. The woman couldn't help but wonder how or why.

"I promise," Laurie assured and turned around, heading to her room for a couple items she needed. The girl made it to the top of the stairs and took a left into her cluttered room, quickly grabbing the boom box and cassettes that laid on her bed. She had gotten a Sony CF-520 as a birthday gift and there was never a week that went by where she didn't drown the world out with music, but for tonight, she was going to share it with someone. The blonde whistled as she gathered the device and its contents in her arms and carefully made her way back down the carpeted stairs. Laurie waved to her parents as they finished their dinner, expecting to leave without a problem, but she was stopped by her dad.

“Laurie, there's a radio in my car.” Morgan motioned to the boom box and looked to her expectantly.

 _No no no, what do I say_ , the girl thought to herself. Laurie licked her lips and thought of a decent lie. “I know, I just wanted to listen to my own music.” But she was so awful at it because she never had to lie, she was too much of a good girl for that.

There was evident confusion on the man's face and he slowly nodded, as if he were trying to understand his daughter’s logic. “Alright, then. Just keep your eyes on the road.”

Relieved, she sighed. “Will do.” Laurie gave a final goodbye and pranced out the door, wanting to escape any further interrogation. The door gave a final click, and the couple looked at each other.

“That was weird, right?” Pamela asked in surprise.

“Yeah...totally weird.” The man faced his wife, who held an equally quizzical expression.

 

✳✳✳

 

It took nearly an hour to get to Smith's Grove because of summer traffic. As much of a nuisance as it came, Laurie was still able to enjoy the ambiance. She felt it was the perfect night; something was in the air that emitted a welcoming sensation. Her hair blew with the wind and she became giddy as she approached Smith's Grove. She had yet to think of an excuse for her odd behavior, but she'd think of it later.

Laurie pulled into the parking lot and eagerly found an empty spot near a side entrance. She had gotten into the habit of entering closer to the garden because that was the only place she went. The girl parked the hickory Cadillac and shut the door behind her. She walked to the passenger side and leaned forward, grabbing the boom box and bag full of cassettes into her arms. Once she set the bag on her shoulder and held the box by the handle, she took off for the door, making sure she was fast enough that no one spotted her. Laurie slid through the door and inhaled antiseptic as she walked down the cold, tiled hall. She would have to go back downstairs to check in, but it was worth not being caught by staff.

“How heavy is this thing?” Laurie asked herself, for her muscles began to ache from the weight of the system. The girl took a left and was staggered to see Marion walking to another door just ahead. “Mrs. Chambers!”

The figure looked over and her shock became a smile. “Laurie, I was looking for you! I thought you were already here.”

“No, I got caught up on the road,” she laughed to herself and hoisted the boom box so her other hand could hold the bottom.

“I see,” she looked to the device and arched a brow. “What's the cassette player for?” Marion questioned as her nails tapped against her clipboard.

Laurie was growing tired of having to explain something she didn't want to. At least Chambers knew to a degree, her parents didn't. “Oh, um, I thought it would be fine to give a music lesson,” she nervously blurted, her palms becoming clammy. “Is that okay?”

The nurse seemed to ponder the idea and after a few seconds, nodded her head. “Of course! Do you need help carrying anything?” She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Oh, I'm fine, really. Are you guys outside today?” Laurie asked expectantly. She prayed they were so they could be alone.

“Yes, yes we are,” Marion nodded. A moment of silence passed, and she finally spoke. “Laurie, how have you and Michael been doing? Is everything going alright?” She hadn't heard much about them anymore, she was only aware Laurie came in impatient to visit him on days she could avoid Doctor Loomis.

Laurie gulped, feeling as if her chest were being crushed. “Yes, everything's just fine.”

The woman smiled. “Glad to hear.” Loomis had asked Nurse Chambers about the girl and explicated he had a ‘feeling’ about her. Marion simply denied it and told him Laurie avoided his patient. She couldn't help but wonder what Michael told her, or what the two did. “How about we go out back? I already signed off your hours.”

“Sounds good.” Laurie followed closely as they went out into the sunset-lit yard. She had to look hard, but it appeared most of the patients were playing solitaire as their game of choice for the night. “Is he out here?” the girl asked quietly.

“To your right, dear.” Marion stopped in her tracks and looked to Laurie. “Is it alright if I take off? You two can venture around again.”

Laurie nodded, her face glowing upon the sight of him. “Of course. How long do I have?” she replied yearningly. She wanted to stay with him as long as she could, and she wanted to feel this way as long as she could.

Marion leaned closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. “As long as you want. I've got it handled, now go.” She grinned walked over to the other nurses to assist.

Laurie smiled and bit her lip, her heart dancing uncontrollably. Forever was a long time, but she was willing to waste it, at least for tonight.


	10. More Than I Could Say

**_Laurie led herself to the table where Michael awaited._** She smiled in anticipation and slid herself in the seat in front of him, placing her boom box on the table with exaggeration. The girl glanced at his statue-like form and cleared her throat. She hated that guise because it frightened her that someone could simply feel nothing, or at least most of the time. “Sorry I'm late, what would you say to a music lesson to make up for it?” She nervously chuckled and twirled her hair with her free hand. “ _Elvis and all_ ,” she added, observing him gradually move from a numb countenance to one of familiarity.

It had taken Michael a moment to remove himself from staring into space, but once he gained consciousness, he looked to the girl and gave a small smile. Her face was the only thing on Earth that was deserving of a smile, at least to him. “I'd say sure.” The boy stared at the device and arched a brow. He was completely unfamiliar with the objects she brought with her, as the last system he had seen was a component stereo that consisted of only dials. “But I'd ask you what that is first.”

The girl was rudely reminded he didn't have the luxury of leaving the facility. Laurie pat the box and looked to him. “A boom box. Powered by batteries and capable of playing both radio and cassette.”

Michael grew curious and stared at it as if it were alien technology.

“If you're interested, follow me,” Laurie chuckled, standing and lifting the system with her.

Michael stared at the girl as she walked forward and looked back at him expectantly. He cautiously lifted himself from the steel-framed seat and made his way to Laurie, feeling uncomfortable about taking off. The boy, though, was startled by the sudden grabbing of his hand and before he knew it, the girl pulled him into the veiled garden. He would have tried to escape the grip and establish a boundary, but he trusted Laurie, he even told her so. If the girl wanted to go against him, she’d had her chance for months, so why would she now? Besides, it wasn't just trust that made him content with her.

Michael gently removed his hand from hers and looked to the sky, finding it refreshing. He let the girl lead the way as she found a patch of grass where she could set her belongings down.

Laurie motioned for Michael to sit and shuffled around her bag for cassettes, but eventually decided it would be best to surprise him with whatever was on the radio. He took a seat in front of her and the girl couldn't help but stare, not because something was wrong, but because he was so captivating. “What technology do you remember?”

He leaned back a bit and made a hum as he thought. “Typewriters, telegraphs, phonographs, and...” Michael lagged, drawing a blank because there wasn't much he’d actually remembered. The moment he entered Smith's Grove, he began to teach himself whatever he could behind Doctor Loomis' back. He didn't want to be clueless about the world.

“And what about movies?” Laurie inquired.

“I don't remember watching many movies,” he stated, disappointed by the lack of answers he could offer her.

“Well, today we have things such as VHS to play movies, we can record anything we want, really. We have color TV, pong, and microwave ovens that cook food fast.” Laurie smiled, noting that the more devices she listed, the more interested he became. “But I'll save that for later and skip to the music. Ever hear of disco?”

Michael looked to Laurie in utter confusion. “Disco as in discothèque?”

The girl nodded. “Exactly, but it's used as both a genre and club. Want to hear?” Laurie gave an excited grin, wondering what he'd think. Once he nodded for her to go ahead, she turned on the box and connected to the radio, dialing through stations until she found one. Michael seemed to be taken aback by the sound of music and the device itself. She settled on _Boogie Oogie Oogie_ , a song that was most current. “A Taste of Honey. They're the biggest of them all right now.” She looked to Michael, who appeared to be deep in thought. “Everything alright?”

The patient looked to her and nodded with a smile. “I haven't heard anything like this. Kind of odd,” Michael admitted. It wasn't that he didn't like it, he just favored silence above all. The melody that came out of the speaker seemed almost unearthly, and a far cry from Elvis.

Laurie nodded and hummed along. “Change the station if you'd like, there's a lot on here.” She motioned toward the largest dial on the box. Michael leaned forward to do so and the girl's heart skipped a beat. The glow from the pink sky illuminated his cheekbones and chestnut hair, and the look of amazement on his face made him seem celestial. Laurie wished she could just get closer, but she had to stay within her limits. With every time she saw Michael, the more she wanted to reach out and touch his face, his hair, or even look at him closer. She wanted to take it further than personal space, but she was too shy and respected Michael too much to do it.

Once Michael turned the radio to another song, he looked up to Laurie, who appeared to have been staring at him. “Yes?”

Laurie's cheeks became a crimson red and she looked away, embarrassed. “Sorry...” she trailed, wishing she hadn't been so obvious. She bit the inside of her cheek and listened to the song playing, then a thought quickly came to mind. “Ever dance?”

The boy leaned back and scratched the back of his head. “Never, don't ever plan on it.” He shrugged and rested his hands in his lap, still engrossed in the song.

Laurie's mouth was agape. “Never danced!?” She promptly jumped to her feet. There were few things she could do besides being smart, and dancing happened to be one of them. “Too bad, you're learning tonight!” the girl contested, yet grew discouraged by the disapproving look he gave.

“Listen, I really don't want to—” but he was interrupted by the avid teen.

“Just try it, if you don't want to continue, we won't! You won't regret it!” The girl smiled and held her hands out to him, but he only loosely grabbed one and stood with a great sum of hesitance. “Ever hear of the Bus Stop?” It was a simple move Annie and Lynda had taught her a couple years back before a dance and it came in handy.

“The what?” Michael asked, wishing he didn't have to move. He never understood how people could express anything with their bodies; that was what the mind was for.

Laurie laughed and walked to his side. “Alright, put your feet together and step back three times right foot first.” She gently held his arm and made him do it with her. “Now, tap your left foot against your right and clap.” The girl smiled as they did so in unison. For it being his first time, he got it straightaway. “Repeat with the left and go forward.”

They walked backward with a tap and clap again.

“Step left side left foot.” She paused as they did so. “Cross your right and step.” The ground gave a rhythmic thump and Laurie continued giving instruction until they were tapping and clapping then turning and repeating.

“Who made this move?” Michael queried as they continued, getting faster each time. He was no dancer, but he couldn't deny it was fun to a degree to perfect every step.

“Don't know, my friends taught me it, they know everything,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“I doubt that,” Michael replied, looking down at her.

_Clap_

“What makes you think so?” Laurie arched a brow and tried not to get overly excited by the lack of space between them. He was striking no matter what he did, and it drove her mad with emotion.

“I can tell,” he shook his head and smiled. “Those who think they know nothing always know more.” Michael spoke from personal experience. He may have been a kindergartner when he was last in school, but the same stereotypes existed at a young age.

“Don't get too deep on me,” the blonde smiled and looked ahead. “Still think you know more than you let on.” Laurie glanced the boy, but he didn't say a word. Whenever he spoke in depth, he seemed to regret it and she wished he'd just be comfortable saying anything he wanted to. Maybe she was too impatient. “Want to try a new dance?”

Michael gave a reluctant nod and stopped, facing her. “If it's sensible, yes.”

Laurie nodded, but before she could speak, she heard the radio buzz with the gentle strumming of a guitar that hummed a constant melody. She’d never heard a song like it and the girl became absorbed by the sound. She enjoyed it, but they couldn't use any eccentric dances for such a melody. Then, another idea came to her, one that made her nervous, but she was desperate and had only one hour left with the patient. She turned to Michael. “How about a slow dance?”

The brunette licked his bottom lip and considered it. He knew what a slow dance was, he was just uncertain. Michael thought of it as an intimate thing, but he already began to feel at ease dancing with her; there was no harm that came with her inquiry. He nodded.

Laurie's tingled with excitement and her cheeks burned to the point of making her feverish. She nodded in return and stepped closer, subtly feeling his breath against her. Never had she been this close, and it was making her jittery. The girl looked up to him and gently grabbed one of his hands, interlocking her fingers in his like the pieces of a puzzle. It felt right and the universe seemed to hum in agreement. Breathing seemed difficult to do as she felt his palm against hers and his fingers proceed to wrap around her hand. Laurie took her free hand and grabbed Michael's, placing it on her lower back with great hesitance. She was beyond just nervous—she was in love, she was nervous, and she was scared he wouldn't feel contented or worse: not feel the same.

The blonde placed her petite hand on Michael's strong shoulder and proceeded to look up to his dangerously close face. “You okay with this?” she asked so silently she feared he wouldn't hear.

“Yes,” he replied, just as silent. He felt uncomfortable, but he didn't want to leave. Michael felt something enter the atmosphere, their atmosphere, and it wouldn't leave until it erupted. The boy denied any thoughts of love but didn't deny he needed her company.

Laurie nodded and they began to dance, her mind engrossed in Michael and the melody of the song.

 

_Close to me, so close to me,_

_I would hold you close to me,_

_I wish I had you all alone,_

_Just the two of us,_

_I'd hold you, so close to me._

 

The voice and guitar repeated in a rhythmic cycle as they gazed at each other.

Laurie's chest was but a cage to her frantic heart, and she could hear it ring in her ears as loud as the melody. She needed Michael and she'd never been so sure of it. He was a genuine person— attractive, smart, and unlike anyone she'd met. She dared herself to lean forward to see if he'd respond, and to her relief, he was inching closer as well. He felt the same. After a moment of the little game, the girl couldn't take it any longer. Laurie leaned closer, her nose resting next to his, and unhurriedly closed the gap between them. Her lips locked with his and sealed with a soft click. Laurie placed her hand on the back of his neck, and he leaned down, returning the slow yet firm kiss. She couldn't grasp that it was happening, but the grip of the other brought her back. The warmth of his chest spread like fire and she held onto him tightly, as if she'd never get the opportunity to do so again.

Michael, for the first time, held her closer. He took comfort in the soft lips against his, and his hand shyly moved to her flushed cheek. His thumb tenderly stroked the smooth skin and took solace in the presence of the younger. She was perfect, magical, and the most virtuous person he'd ever met. No one was capable of making him feel so strongly since the killing of Judith.

 _Judith_. Her lips against her boyfriend's as they sat on the couch. When he stared into the window and made his way into the house, then into her room, knife in hand.

Michael's breath hitched at the memory, and instinctively he ripped his lips from the girls.

Laurie opened her formally blissed eyes and looked back to him in concern, holding his shoulder tighter. “Is everything alright? Did I do something?” Laurie asked fretfully, not meaning to hurt him with her advances. She knew she was plummeting into territory she should never have been in.

“No, no, it's fine,” Michael stuttered, looking to the Laurie with a weak smile that indicated he wasn't. He backed away and held the girl's hands loosely.

Laurie frowned, her guilt spreading like an untamed fire. “If that made you uncomfortable, I won't do it again. I promise you.”

Michael shook his head and murmured a string of no's. He gradually walked closer to her and looked to her crystal eyes. “It wasn't you. It was just,” the boy paused, not wanting to tell her why. “I liked this, everything,” the brunette reassured her. He wanted to forget about Judith and that night for good because Laurie couldn't know, he couldn't lose her to his fight.

“If you wanted to tell me something, you could. I-I don't want you to feel like you have to hide from me.” Laurie didn't want to go digging into his past if Michael didn't want it. She gnawed at her lip. “I'm sorry I kissed you—”

“Stop. I want this, just let me think about it,” he stated firmly. Only the soft hum of the radio was heard, and the two looked at each other deep in thought.

Laurie was glad he wanted it as much as she did, but she was disappointed by Michael reluctance. “My shift ends in a minute,” she gloomily paused, “I really like you, Michael. Don't shut me out. Please.” Laurie took her hands from his and moved toward her bag and the boom box, turning it off with a quick pat. The girl placed the heavy bag on her shoulder and grabbed her belongings, turning to see Michael distraught by her words.

Michael watched as Laurie walked away and he walked forward, grabbing her arm. “Laurie.”

The blonde immediately turned to him.

“It was a bad memory. It was not you...I like you too.” He sighed and moved forward, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. The boy hoped this was proof enough that he did trust her.

Laurie was taken aback by the embrace, but gladly accepted it. She dropped her boom box and quickly wrapped her arms around Michael, savoring the closeness of the boy she tried so hard to reach. It took months, but now she was finally getting somewhere with him. He changed.

 

✳✳✳

 

_It was but a band-aid to the traumas of his past. He seemed to change, but looks are deceiving. The evil still festered within, and if the band-aid were removed, the evil would pour out and it would never stop. Not ever again._

_—Dr. Loomis (November 2nd, 1978)_


	11. Fighting the Past

**_“How did your relationships with family and friends change?_** Did they notice?” The chief clicked his pen against the surface of the desk.

“They knew something, but they never knew what. I felt obliged to keep a secret.” Laurie watched as the man interpreted her answer. There was a lingering paranoia someone was listening.

“You and Michael continued to have this innocent relationship for about two and a half months, then we both know what happened.” He shook his head and looked to Laurie. “It's a damn shame you two couldn't have had a futu—”

“And that's not your job to tell me, Officer,” she hissed with venom. Laurie didn't want to explain why or how she felt some way, she was only forced to face the facts. The man the officer spoke of and the thing behind the mask were two poles apart.

The man glared. “It's my job to ask you this, though: did you love Michael Myers, and did he love you? Yes or no.”

Laurie gulped then tugged on her sleeve, trying to channel her frustration onto something else. “Yes. But not anymore as you know.” She hated giving him the satisfaction he craved.

The sheriff grinned and couldn't help but wonder why she added to the simple answer. “Do you think he still loves you? That this killing is just a form of anger?”

Laurie shut her eyes and shook her head, slamming her hand on the table. “Michael is dead! That _thing_ is dead!”

 

✳✳✳

 

_September 8th, 1978_

 

“So, to end this shitty first week back, Lynda and I wanted to throw a party tonight. Spend the night at my place if you want, there'll be drinks, not that you'd touch them anyway,” Annie teased. She made a right turn onto a desolate road with a Haddonfield 76 sign being its only occupant.

It was the first week of September and school had just begun. Fall seemed to arrive early, as leaves fell while bushes and lawns stayed a fluorescent green—an unsettling notion.

“Why did you invite me then?” Laurie asked disappointedly, turning her head to face Annie. “Besides, I can't anyway...I'm busy.” She looked down and her cheeks became flushed. The girl was an awful liar and her friend had become more skeptical over the months.

Annie looked over to Laurie and arched a brow. She was compelled to ask her things she hadn't before, like why she wasn't as bored as she used to be, or why she wanted to be anywhere else than the present. “You're hiding something. First it was Lynda's cheer competition, and now it's my party. I don't get it, Laurie. You should be happy I'm giving you options besides books, and homework, and this volunteering nonsense.” The teen remained silent for a moment then continued her rant. “What's so amazing about this volunteering anyway, huh? It's not like you have a shitty home life, yours is better than mine for Christ's sake!”

Laurie nodded and felt pressure build inside her head. She had been trying to juggle things around between Smith's Grove, family, and friends, but inevitably began to collapse from the stress of it. “I just think it's nice. Plus, I need hours.” Another lie. She loved to be around her friends, but they were never on the same level as her. Michael was the only person that made her feel content and understood.

With each day, she seemed to crave Michael more and he grew more comfortable emotionally, and even physically, with her. There wasn't a visit that went by where they didn't kiss or hug or venture into chatting about life. Laurie had caught him up with just about everything she knew, but their time was, as of recently, cut short by Loomis' extensive need to talk to him. It made her apprehensive. She could always tell when she’d visited Michael after a meeting with Loomis, because he was externally happy, but internally bothered, as if something were holding him back. Laurie worried about Michael and wished he could tell her everything, but she loved him too much to force it.

“Laurie! C'mon!” Annie yelled at her friend, throwing her out of her daydream. She had arrived at Smith's Grove in the ten minutes Laurie thought.

The girl looked over to see the bold lettering of ‘Smith's Grove Sanitarium’ and was starkly brought back to reality. Laurie's hand inched toward her seatbelt and she unbuckled it with hesitance. She looked to Annie and frowned, feeling a flood of guilt from shutting her out. “I'm sorry I can't make it, I'll make it up to you. You can even take my pink blouse, I swear on it.”

The brunette pursed her lips and seemed to think about it before cracking a smile. Annie nodded and grabbed Laurie's hand, lazily shaking it. “That'll do it. Homecoming dance after Halloween, it's mine.”

Laurie smiled and nodded in return, removing herself from the car. “On the condition that you don't spill anything on it.”

A confused sigh came from Annie. “Whatever! As long as Lynda won't lay her hands on it! Have fun not being at the party!” And with that, she drove off into the sun-kissed scenery, leaving her friend to her ‘job.’

Laurie rolled her eyes and trudged into the building. “I don't trust either of you,” she muttered to herself, but hushed once she reached Nurse Chambers. Marion appeared flustered and caught up in a frenzy of papers. The girl tapped the woman's shoulder after a moment of her organizing binders of records.

“Laurie!” Marion gasped as she turned, not expecting her to be there. She promptly looked to her left and right and leaned forward, motioning her to do the same. Once Laurie did, she spoke. “Loomis has been talking to him for the past hour or so. His session ends in a few minutes. I wouldn't bother Michael today.”

The girl's heart sank. “Why has Doctor Loomis been talking to him so much?” For someone who was so keen on keeping the two together, the behavior was uncharacteristic of her.

The woman pushed the wool of her navy cape aside and averted her eyes as much as humanly possible. If Michael hadn't told her of his past, it was obvious he was not going to, even if Laurie deserved to know. “He’s just discussing some things, nothing to worry about.” Though her mind was on two things: Michael's trial and Judith.

Laurie nodded and gave an ‘ah’ that signified she was not convinced in the slightest. “Why aren't you telling me anything, Mrs. Chambers?” As soon as she felt she could trust the woman, it was immediately broken again. She knew Michael better than both Doctor Loomis and Marion, but they knew more about him.

Marion leaned back, her hand nervously going into her pocket for a cigarette. “His birthday is next month...he'll be twenty-one,” she paused and struck a small match, holding it to the end of the cigarette. A cloud of smoke filled the air. “Michael has yet to tell you some things, but I'll let him tell you.” The brunette took another puff before continuing. “It's—It's nothing bad per say, it's just something that could impact his future, and his past.”

“His past?” she inquired. Laurie wanted now more than ever to know why Michael felt the way he did. Was there some traumatic event that placed him there and his age now played a role in it? If it were dependent on him being twenty-one, that would mean he would have committed a crime, but she knew Michael wasn't the crime-kind. What she didn't know, however, was his past, and that was what everyone saw. Everyone knew but her, and they seemed to judge him cruelly upon it. “Is it this past that Loomis is obsessed with?”

“Well, yes,” she admitted, unable to deny the obvious. Marion desperately sucked in more smoke and stared to her ash tray rather than the expecting eyes before her.

Laurie's finger went to her hair to twirl it nervously. “What is it? What was so bad about a six-year-old that he had to be locked in here for eternity?”

“Laurie, there are things you don't know, and I think it is for the best. I think Michael will tell you. As much as you feel in the dark, you must believe you know him better than any of us do. You can judge him by his character, we can only judge him by his actions.”

 _Actions? What did actions have to do with it?_ Laurie thought to herself. She wanted the truth, but before she could continue her losing battle, a voice cut them off.

“I shall be taking off for the evening, Marion. The upper-wing is taken care of along with the thing,” Doctor Loomis stated in frustration. He walked to the desk and promptly took notice of Laurie. The man eyed her in a way that made her uneasy and gave a gentle nod. “Good evening, Miss Strode.” Loomis stayed put, then his eyes contacted the teen again and he sensed something, he was just unsure of what. “Chambers, keep an eye on her tonight, I have the least bit of confidence in security.” The statement came out cold, calculating.

“Doctor, may we have a word?” the nurse asked with concern. Her attention shifted from Laurie to her colleague, and they went off to the next room, leaving the distraught girl behind.

“Do not dare question me tonight. He is evil and nothing but. I have always tried, but this was the final straw,” the doctor hissed.

“Sam, what makes you say that?”

“I tried to tell him about the court date. I gave him multiple chances, but he is nothing but a void. I saw those eyes, and they showed nothing but murderous inclination! That is not a he, that is a thing, and that thing is getting more dangerous, but no one listens!”

Marion gazed at the mad look in his eyes, the vein on his temple looking as if it were nearing explosion. “Doctor, how do you know? Has he spoken to you?” She bit her lip, wanting so badly to tell him what his patient was capable of feeling, but that would render her a traitor to both Laurie and the Doctor.

“Marion, I have told you for years, there is nothing and there never will be.” He looked away, lowering his voice in concern the girl may hear. “I have seen many patients in my years of practice, some displaying the lack of emotion he has, but it always resulted in an emotional outburst. Uncontrollable laughing, crying, screaming, till they could no longer. But that thing?” He shook his head. “ _Nothing_. Simply and utterly nothing.” His icy eyes stared, and the man cleared his throat. “Laurie must not be near him tonight. Michael will be in his quarters. I fear he is too dangerous to leave about.” He stormed off and gave the girl yet another stare on his way out.

Marion watched as the man left and closed her eyes, having the oddest feeling it would all come crashing down soon. Whether Michael or Loomis would collapse, she did not know, and she hoped Michael wouldn't turn on the girl he'd grown so fond of. She walked back to the main room and looked to Laurie. “I'm sorry about all that. I'll go with you tonight,” the nurse said assuringly, but was discouraged to see Laurie felt the least bit assured.

“So now you don't believe in Michael?” she scoffed in disbelief. Laurie had heard every word and began to loathe the profession she used to have regard for. What had happened to the enthusiasm Marion held when she saw her and Michael speak?

The nurse shook her head. “Laurie, that's not what I meant. He just has a lot to deal with right now and I don't think it's best you're around for it.”

“I'm seeing Michael,” the blonde stated. “He is not some monster.” Laurie, blindly, believed he was going to court simply because of Loomis' delusions, not because of something the boy did.

Marion remained still. She promised Laurie she'd let them stay together, despite Loomis' request for them to be separated. She had seen for herself Michael was happier with her, with someone who did not judge him for his past. “I know. He needs you.”


	12. Time Keeps Ticking

**_Laurie stood in front of the door and raised her fist_** , debating whether she should knock or not. She took a deep breath and forced her clenched hand forward, wondering if she should make a note again, but to her surprise the door opened. The girl promptly smiled upon seeing his face. It seemed like a millennium since she last saw him, but in reality, it had been a few days. She walked inside and shut the door behind her, smiling at him. “Sorry I didn't leave a note.”

Michael shook his head and smiled in return, instantly walking forward to cup her soft cheeks and marvel at her beauty. He, too, missed her and had even counted down the days until he could see her again. He ran his thumb along her warm flesh and leaned down to kiss her lips softly. It felt like heaven. The boy felt Laurie's arms wrap around him desperately, and her lips pressed against his as if she were told it was to be their last kiss. Michael removed his hands from her cheeks to return the embrace, and their lips finally parted. “You're the only person who knocks on my door,” he chuckled.

Laurie smiled and instinctively rested her head on Michael's chest, the soft thud of his heart sounding like a melody. His warmth gave her the most serene feeling, and she had to fight off urges to fall asleep in his hold. “I guess I'm the only one with manners then,” she commented, her voice muffled from the fabric of his shirt. Laurie removed herself from the boy with a tight squeeze before he grew uncomfortable. “I missed you, you know. I skipped a back-to-school party tonight,” she chuckled sarcastically, but immediately frowned upon Michael’s pained looked. “What is it?”

“You know you could've gone,” the boy said sympathetically, a frown plastered on his face. He never forced her to stay, he was just happy to see her when he could. Anything was enough, because it was better than anything he'd known.

Laurie shook her head, not meaning for her message to be interpreted as such. “I wouldn't have gone even if I had nothing going on. They're just getting drunk and who knows what.” She blushed, knowing very well what they did. The girl watched as Michael nodded and walked to the window in what seemed to be turmoil. He rested his back against the wall and wordlessly. She knew something was bothering him. “Did Loomis visit you?” Laurie gently asked, walking to the opposite side of the window that panned to a cloudy sky.

Michael looked out to the yard then back to her, his mind scattered from it all. One second was fine, but in the next lived something that refused to let him savor any happiness. He loved her, but this was something he would never let her be part of. The boy nodded, like it was a trivial matter. “So school, how was i—”

“Michael, I don't want to keep talking about myself.” Laurie surprised herself at her directness, and immediately twirled her hair. “Something is bothering you. I told you from the start you could tell me anything,” she spoke whilst her heart broke by the hurt in his eyes. Those eyes were good at being stone cold to the world, but to her they showed every facet of him: his worries, his fears, his happiness or lack thereof.

Michael looked back to the window, giving a small shrug. “I'm fine, really.” He then felt her hand rest on his shoulder, forcing him to look back to her. There wasn't an easy way of escaping and that was what scared him most.

“And I know that's a lie.” Laurie frowned. “I'll never force you to tell me something but...but I just want you to trust me.” She felt so close yet so far away from the mystery of Michael. The girl watched as he thought, as if he understood her dilemma, and debated telling her something, anything.

Michael cautiously grabbed Laurie’s hand and pulled her closer, not bothering to hide his pain. He held the hand softly and his heart beat faster, debating if and when. “I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone,” he spoke with a low tremble. The boy leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Give me time. Please.” If he wanted to continue what they had outside of Smith’s Grove, he had to speak. He had to break away from everything that disconnected him from what was human. Michael was only human if Laurie was there.

Laurie flushed and nodded, feeling somewhat disappointed. Her hand slid from his grip. At least there was a promise she would know. It may have been months or years, but she'd know. Laurie walked toward Michael's small bed and threw herself on it, her body too tired to keep standing. The girl watched as the boy made his way to the bed and take a seat next to her, looking down at her face.

Michael gave his first genuine smile of the evening. He found her further angelic when she was relaxed. His hand reached out to take a lock of her hair and place it behind her ear, the silky texture running along his fingers. “Are you tired?” he asked, taking in the beauty of her sky-blue eyes. Michael wanted her to be happy, even if he wasn't; she deserved to have a life without him if he couldn’t stay. The choice would be up to him.

Laurie nodded and wished she could pull his hand back to her hair, but she refrained. She wanted so badly to be his and for him to be hers, but without Michael’s transparency, and given the atmosphere they were forced to meet in, it was difficult.

The boy noted the Laurie’s eyes seemed to droop and he felt sympathetic, knowing it was possibly some test or the struggles of school. “You can sleep if you want, I'm not forcing you to do anything.” Michael gave a small smile. Her mere presence made him happy enough.

“Then I don't get to be with you,” Laurie groaned. She rather enjoyed laying down but hated herself for becoming overly relaxed.

The brunette shook his head. “I'll be right here, I promise.” He watched as the girl sluggishly lifted herself from her laying position, indicating she wasn't happy with just that. Michael laid himself back so his head rested against the bed frame and motioned for the girl to lay down. “I'd feel better knowing you got some sleep.” Once he felt Laurie lay herself next to him, her head on his chest and her arms locked around him, he was assured she would be okay.

Laurie's face became flushed, her wave of fatigue became apparent and her eyes felt like weights. At home, she could lay in bed and stare at her ceiling for hours. At school, she could work herself until she regretted thinking for hours. With Michael, she was so at peace her instinct to relax overcame her; he was a new environment and a much more favorable one. She felt his hand return to her hair and gave a content hum, her eyes closing without the intent of reopening. “I love you, Michael. I care about you a lot,” Laurie murmured. After a moment of silence, she let herself become one with sleep.

Michael felt his throat constrict at the three words. The words were like a commitment, a permanency that was foreign to him. He felt guilt, immense guilt in not letting her in when she cared about him more than anyone had. What he feared was losing her. He didn't want to face the harrowing event again. Michael feared the pleasure he got from the kill and the boy never wanted to feel that pleasure again—he could never let her know. He didn't want to lose himself to the vacant chasm that existed within. Laurie was the only thing that pulled him out, and if he lost her, he feared he'd fall.

The boy looked to the girl's tranquil face and rested his hand on her back, pulling her small form closer. Michael wanted to hang on for life, because she was the only one that gave him life. She was his hero and she didn't even know it. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and rested his head on top of hers, his eyes desperately shutting. “I love you too,” Michael whispered so silently even he couldn't hear it.

But if only she knew. What laid underneath, what consumed until there was nothing left—what made him fight for control.

 

✳✳✳

 

 _10:00 pm_  the clock read with a soft tick.

 

Marion wiped down the last table in the living room area and nervously bit her lip. She never denied Laurie more time with Michael, but she had a family to go back to. They were undoubtedly worried sick. The woman gave a sigh as she walked out the double doors and to the laundry closet. She threw in a load of towels and once the machine started, she elected to give the girl another thirty minutes or so before she was forced to get her.

Laurie's eyes slowly opened upon hearing the muffled tumbling of the washing machine and was met with a bright light above her, one that told her she wasn't home nor anywhere she was familiar with. She lightly yawned and her head seemed foggy, but the girl became abruptly aware of a warmth that surrounded her once she. Her eyes looked ahead to see the neckline of a shirt and was quickly reminded she was with Michael. The girl removed her head from his chest and shivered at the sudden cold, but it wasn't as much of a shock as Michael's closed eyes and gentle breaths. He was in just as deep of a sleep as she had been. Laurie continued to stare in enchantment.

He seemed at peace and unbothered, but he must have sensed she was awake because he suddenly shifted, and his eyes opened slightly to look at her. “You alright?” his now raspy voice rang. He instantly adjusted to the harsh light of the room. Michael felt odd as she looked down at him, wondering how long he had been sleeping and she had been awake. It wasn't his intention to join her, but if he were being honest, it was his first time sleeping in a week.

The girl nodded. Her heart faltered and her cheeks filled with a warmth that replaced the one from Michael's chest. “Better than alright.” She smiled and leaned down, placing her lips against his. Once the lock was broken, Michael sat up.

“What time are you supposed to leave?” he asked out of curiosity, but mainly because he didn't want her to go.

Laurie had completely forgotten about time or the fact it even existed. Her eyes went around the room to look for a clock and she catapulted herself into panic once she saw the time. It was nearly two hours after when she told her parents she'd be back. “Ten!? My parents are going to be so worried!” Laurie shot herself up and sat on the end on the bed and Michael followed.

“I'm sorry, I should have kept track of time,” Michael said, the grogginess of his voice still present. He wanted her to stay, but the boy understood she couldn't.

“No, it's not your fault,” Laurie murmured and looked to her floral printed skirt. She wasn't ready to come up with some excuse for her parents and she felt robbed of time with Michael. The girl looked to him and leaned herself against his shoulder, not caring if she was a few extra minutes late as it was. “Do I really have to leave?”

Michael smiled. “No, but you probably should.”

Laurie chucked and faced him. “Next time I won't fall asleep, I promise.” She lifted herself from the small bed, but was staggered to feel her arm gently tugged, causing her to lose her balance and fall back. Before she knew it, Michael's lips were on hers and they were laying on the bed, her legs tangled with his. Laurie laughed into the kiss and when they pulled away, she blushed. She felt nervous laying on top of Michael even if he was the one that initiated it. It was odd to see him so comfortable. Laurie had an instinct to take advantage of the moment. Her hands moved forward to cup his cheeks and she carefully ran her thumbs along his cheekbones, proceeding to slide down, past his ears, and to Michael's cocoa-colored locks. Laurie ran her fingers through the soft hair and a warmth built inside of her. The girl felt she'd been waiting for this specific moment for months, and it was worth the wait. “You're breathtaking,” she chuckled.

Michael felt the slightest bit uneasy, but nevertheless, he grinned. “There must be a mirror on my face, then.”

Laurie couldn't help but erupt in laughter and she rolled off him and onto her back. She grabbed his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “I guess I should get going. My parents are going to freak out.” The girl hesitantly let go and stood. Laurie realized she hadn't taken anything with her, so she was only left with leaving him. She hadn't even realized her face became a frown.

“Hey, don't look so down, I'll see you in a couple days,” Michael assured, making his way toward her. The boy brusquely felt the air being pushed out of his diaphragm once the girl lunged at him, spinning slightly from the force.

Laurie closed her eyes and pecked his cheek before letting go and making her way to the door. She hesitantly looked back and smiled. “See you Monday.”

Michael nodded. “'Til Monday.”

The girl had a wide grin painted on her face as she left the room. She walked ahead and her heart dropped at the sight of Chambers filling papers at the desk that laid ahead.

Marion looked up upon hearing the noise and gave a brief smile. “I was just about to come and get you, I was worried you'd be in there all night.” The woman took note of the girl's panic and gathered this was proof her and Michael may have been more. The nurse looked down. “Laurie, I figured something was different for a while now. This is still a secret and I will still do everything in my power to protect you two from Doctor Loomis.”

Laurie's throat felt dry as she nodded, taking solace in the words. “Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Chambers.” The girl wondered how she knew and how much she knew, but the most pressing matter was getting home. “I have to get home before my parents worry...I'll call a friend.” She twirled her hair.

“Do you need a ride home?” Marion offered more than asked.

“Oh, I couldn't ask that of you, I'll get my friend—”

“Laurie, no worries.” She gave a small laugh and walked ahead, motioning her to follow. Once Laurie was by her side, she put a hand on her shoulder. “You've given him something Loomis never could. Thank you for everything.”


	13. Breaking Free

**October 27th, 1978**

 

Michael anxiously sat by his window and stared out to the fall sunset. Leaves were spread as far as the eye could see, and they dropped like snow. As beautiful as the sight was, the patient felt panicked, overwhelmed, and even sick. He hadn't slept in over a week, he hadn't eaten a single thing in a week, and he gave up on simple pleasures such as reading.

It was always around this time of year his anxiety increased, not only because it was a marker of the tragic event, but because everyone around him grew to fear him. Loomis kept a watchful eye on him and on his birthday, eight days prior, he fully expected to go to trial for the murdering of Judith, but it was rescheduled for Halloween night—the fifteenth anniversary of the event. He was phased by it, but not as phased as hiding it from Laurie. Michael loved the girl, but between the anxiety of the trial, the anniversary of Judith's death, his birthday, and his dishonesty, it all caught up with him. He felt sick, grossly sick, and he wanted the girl now more than ever. The boy had come to terms with the voice that told him to stay away from intimacy and fear everything that came with it. Michael was scared of himself, deathly afraid, and he needed Laurie to bring him back before he knew it would consume him. He wanted to hold onto her until he was numb and kiss her until he couldn't breathe. The brunette felt his heavy eyes beg to close as he watched the leaves fall, but he made them stay open.

Loomis sat with him on his birthday and went over the procedures while begging him to say something. The doctor was harsh in his delivery and was desperate enough to give him a last chance, but Michael couldn't speak. He felt himself losing to the numbness inside of him, and he forced himself to think of Laurie to bring him back. Nurse Chambers was the only person who wished him a happy birthday and stayed with him, telling him the trial was going to be okay. She told him he was going to be fine regardless and that he wasn't alone, which made him wary, as she’d never tried to speak to him before. Michael felt his head spin and he surrendered. The boy closed his eyes, counting down the few minutes left until he saw the girl.

 

✳✳✳

 

“Don't forget the homecoming dance is in five days! I'm gonna need that blouse!” Annie yelled.

“Yeah, well Lynda feels the same,” Laurie refuted. Both had already pressured her about borrowing the article of clothing despite herself not having a chance to wear it. “You're going to have to beat her to it.”

“But you promised—” Annie's whine was cut off by a glare from her friend.

“I never promised, I just said you could.” The girl wrapped her arms around herself and stared down at the brunette.

Brackett arched a brow. “But isn't that a promise?” She shook her head and revved her engine. “Whatever, Laurie, I gotta go. Tell Lynda to back off from what isn't hers.”

The blonde shook her head as her friend drove off. Her friends really had no idea of property. Laurie planned on going to the dance only because Lynda wanted her to watch her cheer performance she'd practiced so hard for, and Annie wanted her to be more ‘involved,’ whatever that meant. As for Halloween, she didn't plan on doing much besides babysitting. She’d heard Annie and Lynda at lunch devising some plan that involved Bob and Paul, however.

Laurie made her way inside the hospital and was met with no one at the front. Confused, the girl made her way onto the elevator and was still met with no sign of life, but she did see Doctor Loomis, who appeared stressed. The man was looking at what seemed to be a bottle of thorazine. _What would the doctor possibly need such a potent drug for?_ Laurie thought to herself. She carefully inched toward the two. It was hard to decipher the exchanging of words, but she heard just enough.

“Doctor, I understand he may be schizophrenic, but we shouldn't be administering this high of a dose, especially given the circumstance.”

“He isn't just schizophrenic, he is mad! My patient won't speak at the trial, I assure you. He will try to escape, I know because he has thought of it from the moment he came here. Michael isn't clueless, he is the smartest patient I've had, and he will use that to his advantage,” Loomis stated plainly, as if it were fact. The pills shook menacingly, and it was enough for the girl listening to walk off.

Laurie made her way to the closet and shut the slab of wood with haste. She felt disturbed to the point she locked the door and moved away from it, as if the Doctor would come for her. He wasn't helping Michael, so why was he still his psychiatrist? The girl felt as if schizophrenia answered her questions, though. If the boy truly suffered from it, it would explain why he every so often pulled away from her, or why he’d become so numb and lose interest in the world and all the people on it. Laurie never doubted him for being normal, though. He wasn't some psycho or lost cause. Michael was human—Doctor Loomis was the true psycho.

Strode grabbed her striped shirt and laid it along a stray chair. Her arms moved to the long-sleeved jade shirt that clung to her form and slid it off with ease, her flesh covering itself in goosebumps upon the sudden cold. Laurie clutched the thin fabric of her uniform and threw it on before reaching for her cable-knit sweater to keep warm. The teen wondered if she should risk leaving the room yet; she didn't want to interact with the doctor if she could prevent it. Laurie decided to risk it. She fearfully left the room behind and was relieved to see no one there. The heels of her loafers clacked against the floor and someone tapped her shoulder, causing her to yelp.

“Laurie! I'm so sorry! I was looking all over for you,” Marion gasped as she walked in front of the scared girl. She grabbed her clipboard and tilted her head, feeling as if she were scared by something other than the unexpected greeting. There was something in her eyes that seemed deeply troubled. “You seem a bit off today, what's wrong?”

The girl nervously shifted. “Nothing, Mrs. Chambers, it's just...I heard Loomis talking about Michael,” she paused and looked to Marion's concerned face. Laurie wondered if she knew about it or if she was in on it. Had she told Loomis about them? “He-He said something about a trial.”

Marion was aware, and hoped Laurie heard nothing beyond that. She feared the meager time they had left before his court date. “He is going to trial and that was Loomis' plan—”

“But why does Michael need to go to trial? He isn't a criminal, he is fine!” Laurie argued. She was growing frustrated by their behavior toward the boy. What did they know that she didn't? “He shouldn't be drugged or treated like some animal.”

The woman frowned. She didn't have the heart to tell her. Mario wanted to understand why Michael hadn't told her yet. Did he have a plan to speak for the court, or was he ignoring the past? “Laurie, I know you care about him, but he needs to be evaluated by law. We worry about our patients' mental states, that's all. Loomis is just scared about Michael.”

Laurie nodded, feeling not the slightest bit assured by the answer. Marion was lying to her. She'd find out one way or another if no one else could tell her. “Thank you, Nurse.” She shook her head in disbelief and walked away from her and toward Michael's room. She needed to know he was okay. Once she saw the door, Laurie nearly punched a hole in it from knocking.

Michael's eyes were pried from the window and to the door. He contemplated not opening it for a second, but decided he was too desperate to see her. It hurt to hide from Laurie, but he loved her. The boy weakly lifted himself from his chair, feeling the slightest bit dizzy as he made his way to the door. His hand turned the knob and he gave a weak smile to the girl in front of him. “Hi.” The boy’s heart filled with delight as she walked forward and shut the door. He was saved for the moment.

Laurie beamed as Michael backed away ever so slightly. She wordlessly ran to him and threw herself on him, his arms catching her legs almost effortlessly. The girl looked down at him and leaned into his starved lips, feeling at peace as they danced with each other. She tightened her grip on the boy and continued to kiss him until she was blue in the face.

Once they parted, Michael gently placed Laurie's feet on the floor.

Laurie straightaway took notice of his fatigue as well as his weak smile. She moved forward, placing a hand on his unusually cold cheek. “Michael, are you ok? I've been so worried about you,” the girl breathed. It was becoming hard to hide her concern, especially in the past couple of weeks.

Michael leaned into the touch, almost crying of joy by her presence. He held the hand at his cheek and kissed it, nodding. “I'm fine. I really am.”

The girl shook her head and cupped both cheeks, staring into his green eyes. “Don't lie to me,” Laurie's voice cracked, on the verge of crying herself. She wasn't about force, but when it came to the boy's happiness, force was all she had left. If something was wrong, she wanted to fix it, or at least know what it was. Her thumbs slid along his ghostly pale cheeks and she observed the fatigue in his eyes. She hated seeing him suffer. “What is it? Loomis? Me?”

The brunette shook his head, taking hold of both hands. He slid them off his cheeks and reluctantly held them to his chest. “It's not you, it's not him, it's me.” Michael gave another tired smile and pulled the girl forward, his arms enveloping her in a hug. His lips planted a kiss to her forehead and his hands went to her hair. The boy continued to hold Laurie, as if trying to convince her he was okay.

The girl looked off to the plain walls and closed her eyes in the embrace. “Then tell you to cut it out.” She only smiled once she heard Michael give a slight chuckle. “Sixty degrees out and nice weather today. Want to sneak out?” Laurie inquired, knowing it would be one of the last warm days before winter.

Michael let go of her and backed away, arching a brow. “We couldn't, no one's going out there—”

“I didn't ask if we could, I'm asking if you'd like to.” She smirked. Laurie wanted to be alone with him and to take advantage of the beautiful fall night. She craved an opportunity like this for so long, where they weren't near anyone, and no one knew where they were. It was unlike her virtuous self.

Michael became skeptical. “I would.” He would go to the ends of the earth with her if he could.

Laurie grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the door. She felt desperate, more so than ever before. “Then let's go.” The girl wanted him and just him, no strings attached (those strings being Smith's Grove).

The boy gently pulled her back as if to say ‘stop.’ “I don't want you getting in trouble because of me.”

“I promise nothing's going to happen. Just follow me.” Laurie smiled, thankful Michael thought of her, but she needed to escape.

Once he thought about it, he nodded, and the girl promptly opened the door, holding his hand as she navigated her way through the halls. She was cautious in making sure no one was around, especially since Loomis was just getting ready to take off. The girl made her way to the door and her heart leapt with joy once they made their way out of the building.

“C'mon, let's go,” Laurie chuckled as their skin bathed in the light of the pink sky. Her heels clacked and Michael's footsteps followed until they reached the flowery beacon that was the garden. Laurie gave a content hum as they arrived at the cobblestone path. Here was a place they were free from the world, even if it was momentary. She smiled and leaned against Michael, her head on his shoulder. “See? Perfectly safe.”

“Yeah, until someone finds I'm not there,” he joked, putting an arm around her. Michael felt himself become calm for the first time in weeks—it was a wonderful feeling. “Laurie?”

“Yes?” she hummed, enjoying the rare moments he said her name.

“Thank you, for everything.” Michael laid his head atop of hers and looked to the cotton-candy sky above. It was one thing to watch the world from a window, but another to be encompassed by it. He was grateful for everything, and he felt he should let her know given his current circumstance.

“It's nothing,” Laurie chuckled, kissing his neck softly. “Don't make that sound like a goodbye…” She moved away from him and gazed into his green eyes, eyes that displayed immense admiration and sorrow. “I'm not ever going to leave you.” The girl meant every word, and she hoped Michael understood. “Let’s take a walk.”

Michael followed for a bit, his hand in hers. There was something in the atmosphere that lingered, much like it had their first kiss, and he wasn't sure what. He stopped upon Laurie halting. “What is it?”

Laurie motioned him to follow as she walked to a clear spot covered with flowers and trees. The grass was clear and a saturated green that held a certain light, as if it were made for a picnic or a perfect spot to lay back. And that was what the girl did. She laid herself against the grass and smiled, breathing in the fresh scent of the florals. “Come here.”

Michael followed and laid himself on his back a mere inch away from Laurie. His eyes went to the sky once the girl pointed to it and wasn't the least bit surprised when she laid her head against his chest. He was glad she did, though. The boy put an arm around her and gazed, wondering what he was supposed to see.

“When I feel upset, I just look at the sky. It makes me forget about what's around me,” Laurie mused, her fingers playing with the fabric of Michael's jacket. She looked to the face next to her and was pleased to see him become tranquil. The girl's hand trailed down to his. “I'm here for you always, Michael.”

The boy turned his head to face hers and leaned forward, softly kissing her lips. “I know.” Michael pulled her closer, never more grateful for her than in that moment. He then felt the girl shift to move herself on top of him, which greatly startled him, for he still had a habit of not trusting foreign movements. Michael relaxed yet again once she smiled at him, playing with his hair.

“I like you. I have since the moment I met you.” The blonde leaned down to kiss him, her lips pressing firmly against his and her fingers continuously running through his locks. Laurie felt strongly, very strongly about her love for Michael and she wanted to prove it. She wanted more.

Michael kissed back, though stunned upon the sudden intensity of the kiss.

After a few moments of their lips dancing, they both took in a deep breath, but continued with more pressure. Before both knew it, their tongues were playing along, and their hearts beat with an intensity not experienced before. Not only Laurie was knee-deep in territory she'd never been in, but so was Michael—the only difference was Michael wasn't scared for the same reasons as her.

The boy let the action continue for a minute or so until he finally pulled away and propped himself up on his elbows. He wasn't bothered by himself more so than Laurie. It was obvious she was hesitant to continue with her pursuits. “Are you alright?”

Laurie's legs grew feeble from both her attraction to Michael and the fear of taking it further. She wanted to take it further, though, she was never so sure of it. “Yes,” she replied, her heart pounding. “Are you?” Once Michael nodded, the girl gulped. “How comfortable are you with this?”

Michael hummed in thought, lifting his head slightly to reveal his sharp jawline. “Comfortable enough to do whatever you're comfortable with,” he mused, also unable to deny he wanted her.

The blonde smiled. She liked that Michael didn't make her feel nervous and it helped that she wasn't the only virgin. Everyone at Haddonfield High was too easy when it came to the act and it made Laurie an outcast. Her friends made fun of her virginity constantly. They tried to hook her up with different guys, but she never wanted to do it. Laurie was supposedly too smart for boys, and no one understood her. But she found Michael, and he was perfect. “I want you...”

Michael nodded, nervous but indifferent to it. Laurie was special, and he wanted to give her anything she wanted. Paradoxically, it was the truth of his past he couldn't give her, but he pushed that aside for the moment. He pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. “Then I'm yours.”


	14. I’m Coming Apart

**_Laurie's lips parted from Michael's_** and she nervously slid her sweater off. She felt the same jitters the first time she smoked weed with Annie, when her friend kept telling her she wasn't going to die from the high. The girl shivered and nervously fumbled with a button of the over-sized candy-striped shirt. A wave of panic swept over her and Laurie's shaking became worse as she unbuttoned another portion.

Michael instantly took notice of her shaking and grabbed her hands, pulling them away from her shirt. He looked to her in concern. “I don't want to do this if you're not okay.” The boy sensed she was scared, and he hoped it wasn't him.

“No, I-I'm fine, I just haven't done this before.” She took a deep breath as Michael's thumbs ran along her shaking hands.

“And what makes you think _I_ have?” Michael jested, relief flooding him once a smile graced her face. He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly, keeping his forehead against hers. “I won't do a thing unless you want me to.”

The girl smiled, the breeze brushing against her slightly exposed chest. “I want this.” Her hands gradually stopped shaking and once she was calm, Michael let go of her. Laurie reached forward and slid the boy's jacket off, so she felt less insecure about removing hers. She made her way to her shirt and finished unbuttoning it, this time in a speedier fashion, until she was able to slide it off to the side. Laurie's cheeks became cherry-red as her hands went behind her bra, unclasping it and letting it fall to the grass. She felt exposed, self-conscious. She'd always heard guys walk by Annie and make comments about her no-bra statement, but she herself had been cat-called before. Boys like that, the majority, scared her. They were the boys that were about lust and not love. It seemed everyone's true nature unclothed itself with unclothed bodies—if that were the truth, then Michael wasn't like them. Michael was respectful of Laurie's comfort, and was undoubtedly more attracted to her soul than her vessel.

Laurie grabbed Michael's face, growing impatient to kiss him once more. She pressed her rose-tinted lips against his and as they kissed, she grabbed his hand and hesitantly put it to her stomach. Goosebumps crept over her upon feeling his skin against the sensitive area. She wanted more of his touch. The girl led his hand further up her soft flesh and to her breast, which was enough for Michael to abruptly end the lip lock.

Michael glanced to the hand now cupping the bulk of her breast and observed the goosebumps that coated her skin once his thumb grazed across her nipple. His eyes went back to the girl. “Still sure about this?” He was as eager as her but was prepared to stop at the sake of the girl's comfort. For sensuality being something he never engaged in, it came almost too naturally, and he didn't know whether to blame it on literature or human nature.

“Positive.” Laurie smiled, capturing his lips one last time before guiding one of his hands lower and lower.

 

✳✳✳

 

Annie watched her friend walk to the car in what appeared to be dismay. She arched her brow and inspected as she clicked her seatbelt, a frown on her face. “Laurie, you look as if someone shot your puppy. What happened in there?” Her gaze pried into her, but Laurie looked forward in pain.

“Just go, Annie. Please,” Laurie projected weakly.

“Alright, alright,” she muttered as the car moved ahead, leaving the parking lot. Annie was curious as to what made her so upset. This was a place to help people, but it appeared she was the one who needed help. “Well, aren't you gonna tell me what happened?”

Laurie shook her head and held her knees to her chest, looking to the sky for comfort. It wasn't what happened, it was what happened after. She loved Michael, it was undeniable, but she felt as if she stripped him of his virginity, physically and emotionally. The guilt was overwhelming—he had been in that place his whole life, and to force a relationship such as that on him? He'd never seen the world, seen different people. She'd taken advantage of him, and it was too late before she noticed. What would people think if they knew she wasn't such a good person after all? Screwing around with a doctor's patient and going behind his back just to start some relationship? It stung. Laurie worked hard to connect to Michael, and every second was bliss, but that bliss was rudely taken after the deed was done. “I'm fine, Annie just drive, please.”

Her friend became confused but did as she was told. Laurie did nothing she could possibly get upset by, because all she did was stay home, read, babysit, and volunteer at Smith's Grove. Her life was sunshine and rainbows, or so Annie thought. “Can you please just tell me why you're acting like this, Laurie? You're freaking me out.” Annie was half tempted to turn on the radio and drown out the ever-present gloom that filled the car.

The girl tried to hold back her tears, but the floodgates opened, and they fell without restraint. One warm tear after another, followed by sobbing. Michael appeared scared as she hugged him goodbye, and she wondered if he knew. Laurie felt awful and could only hope the boy didn't think he hurt her or come to believe she only wanted to use him as an object as she pleased. She was a monster for doing it to him—to start something that was bound to end.

“Laurie! What's wrong!?” Annie tensely looked to her sobbing friend. Someone or something hurt her, but what? In her years of friendship with Laurie she'd never seen her cry, so it came as a surprise. She was half-tempted to take her friend to her place and get her dad involved, but she knew Laurie wouldn't want that. “Did someone hurt you?”

“No.” _I hurt someone_ , the teen thought to herself. She attempted to wipe her eyes, not caring if her mascara smeared.

Annie sat back, still unsatisfied. “Well alright,” she paused, “if this is some early Halloween joke, I'll kill you.”

The rest of the ride was silent, much to Annie's dismay, and Laurie attempted to collect herself before going home. The Monte-Carlo pulled into her driveway and braked.

Laurie bit her lip, sliding her seatbelt off. Never had she been happy to be home and away from Smith's Grove. She felt lost, she felt empty. “Thanks, Annie.” The girl gulped and opened the car door, unable to look her friend in the eye. Once outside, she shut the door and waved to her friend before making her way to the porch. Laurie didn't want to be home, she didn't want to be anywhere at the moment, but nonetheless, she went inside. The girl sniffled, wondering where her parents were, or if they’d went to bed.

“Laurie, is that you?” a voice called.

“Yes,” the teen called back to her mother. She hoped she wouldn't have to face her and attempt to tell her she was fine. Laurie was to the point of breaking, and she was sure she'd never felt so scattered. Suddenly, her mom was in front of her.

“Honey! Are you alright?” The woman's eyes widened in concern and she motioned to the smeared mascara against her rosy cheeks. She'd just gotten out of bed to greet her daughter but was stunned to be met with tears.

“Yeah, mom, I'm fine. Just tired,” Laurie sniffled. Her feet inched toward the stairs, ready to throw herself into bed.

Pamela nodded, accepting the fib. “You know what I told you about getting enough sleep. You shouldn't overload yourself like that—studying and these volunteer hours.”

Laurie didn't expect her mom to understand. The girl stood on the bottom step, unable to carry conversation for much longer. “Goodnight.” Once she heard the same sentiment spoken to her, she dashed to her room as if she were being chased. Laurie sighed and made it to the bathroom, leaning down to take her shoes off. She threw them in her room and swiftly shut the door. The blonde pulled down her stockings then her skirt, her underwear, her shirt, her bra, and her sweater. She looked to the mirror.

A monster is what she saw. A disgrace.

Laurie closed her eyes, yet another fresh tear falling down her face. She never knew one could cry so much, but the shame she felt was extraordinary. The girl walked to the shower and turned on the water, waiting for it to become warm enough. She stepped into the steady stream and the steam seeped into her flesh. Between her sobs and the muggy air, Laurie felt like she was suffocating. The girl let the warmth saturate her hair and run across her face until there was not a smear of mascara. She grabbed a bar of soap and scrubbed at her arms and then her breasts, attempting to wash away the shame. Her hand reached for a washcloth and she lathered it in soap, shakily reaching down to clean herself. She wanted any trace of him gone, not because she hated Michael, but because she hated herself.

How was she supposed to carry on? She'd have to quit, and she'd have to say goodbye to Michael. Laurie wasn't sure how far her ability to keep a secret stretched, so she elected on not telling Nurse Chambers what happened, just that she was quitting. She never wanted to face Loomis. Laurie would miss Michael, though, and she'd miss him dearly. He truly was the sweetest boy she'd met, and Laurie wanted him for eternity if she could have him, but that wasn't fair. She was selfish, and she took a boy who didn't know any better for herself.

Her shower lasted nearly an hour until she was finally ‘clean’ and exhausted enough to quit. She quickly threw on a nightgown and pink robe, then towel-dried her hair to the best of her ability. Laurie walked to her bed, her eyes feeling the heaviest they'd ever been. She softly moaned as she laid herself down and pulled a blanket over herself, the fabric feeling soft and welcoming. The blonde was too exhausted to think, too hurt. The shower left her externally clean, but internally she was still a grimy wreck. Her eyes shut and she let them remain that way. If it were up to her, she would have let them stay shut for years, decades, until she could get over it. But no one can run from what haunts them, what lurks in every corner of their mind.


	15. Live Each Day Like It’s Your Last

**_“This guilt you felt never stopped._** You couldn't live with yourself knowing you took advantage of him.” Sheriff Barker paused to grab an evidently aged piece of paper that laid on the notes. Laurie recognized it instantly. “So much so, you had to write Michael a goodbye. You couldn't even face him. You had Chambers give this to him on October 28th, the same day you resigned as a candy-striper. Let's take a look at this, shall we?” The officer's eyes glazed over the dated handwriting and seemed to assimilate the words.

 

 

> _Michael,_
> 
> _I don't know how to begin or where, so let me start from the beginning. We met back in April, when I started as a volunteer, and from that moment, I knew you were special. You listen to me as if I'm the only person in the world, and you know just what to say. You're a smart person and I hope you know that. Your presence is enough to make my day, but I'm afraid nothing great can last, for better or for worse. I'm having trouble writing this, but the easiest way to put it is this: you deserve more._
> 
> _You've never seen the world on a larger scale, never met many people. How could I keep such an amazing person as yourself to myself when the world deserves to see you for who you are? I know you struggle with where you are as of now. I wish I could have helped you with the pain you carry, but just know I love you. I will always love you, but I cannot steal you from experiences you've never had and people you've never met. Please understand._
> 
> _Love, Laurie._
> 
>  

“This is a very touching note, Ms. Strode,” the man stated, inspecting it more thoroughly.

“Get to the point, Officer,” Laurie acrimoniously scolded. She wanted to forget, for it was hard enough facing it for the past forty years. The guilt never left her, she always had to deal with the feeling of responsibility for the monster she unleashed.

The sheriff's dark skin flipped a page in the file. “Three days after was Halloween night of 1978. This is where your darkest moments came for you and continued to haunt you, even to this day. Michael couldn't take it, could he?”

_Flip_

“He trusted someone for the first time in his life. He fell in love. That trust was immediately broken, and he'd fallen back. You were what kept him from the darkness that consumed him,” he paused, “and that darkness did consume him—you left him for dead.”

 

✳✳✳

 

_October 31st, 1978_

“It _was_ the boogeyman.”

“As a matter of fact, it was.”

Laurie felt cold, and above all, terrified. She looked to the side as Doctor Loomis walked to the next room. Her heart trembled and her ears rang from the multiple shots fired from the Doctor's pistol. She continued to sob, not knowing what else to do. She had never felt such desolate pain, and she never had to fight for her life until now. It took every fiber of her being to protect Tommy and Lindsey, but she couldn't save anyone else. She didn't know it would all come to this.

There was nothing left. No Annie, no Lynda, no Bob, no one to run to. She lost _everything_ , including Michael. Michael died, and this thing took his place.

Laurie whimpered, unable to worry about Doctor Loomis’ possible discovery of the truth. Her hand gently rested on her throat and a chill ran over her. That emotionless mask, the menacing shine of the knife, and cold actions that followed—it all haunted her. The image was etched into her mind and her sobs picked up. She did this to him. She killed them all.

Doctor Loomis' heart raced as he inched toward the moon-lit window, only to see the empty ground where Michael escaped. He knew it would happen, so it didn't take him by surprise, the whole situation did, though. The girl that laid in the hall had to have been of some importance to his patient, and he knew the girl all too well. Laurie Strode, former volunteer as of days ago. There had to be a reason Michael chose her to go after. The man turned around and walked out of the bedroom and into the hall, where Laurie’s sobbing form laid weakly against the wall. “Miss Strode, are you alright?” He kneeled and gazed at the deep gash in her arm that slowly bled into the pastel blue of her shirt.

“I-I don't know,” she gulped, looking to the Doctor. Her leg ached awfully, and she felt the slightest bit faint upon seeing the deep knife wound on her arm. Laurie felt like a walking bruise between all the falls and cuts. She attempted to move the leg that was injured when she tumbled down the stairs at the Wallace house, but was greeted with a sharp pain and she let the limb go limp. “My leg...can't move.”

Loomis nodded and stood. “Stay with me, I'll get help.” He would have to save interrogations for later, for now she needed medical attention, and sooner than later. The man ran down the stairs and out of the house, gun in hand. He'd have to find Officer Brackett and call an ambulance over and do the same for Michael's other victims. The Doctor prayed there weren't more, and that someone caught Michael before his murderous rampage could continue.

It was a mere five minutes before Laurie heard sirens from outside and saw the red and blue flashing of lights through the open bedroom windows. Laurie shivered once more but was relieved once she heard the front door open, and footsteps move frantically up the stairs. The first face she saw was Mr. Brackett's and he ran to her hunched over figure.

“Laurie! Are you alright?” the man asked, gently grabbing her arm and inspecting her wound. “Oh goodness, this is bad. Don't worry, help is here.”

Laurie weakly nodded and closed her eyes, becoming too faint and fatigued to tell Mr. Brackett the fate of his own daughter. She could still see Annie's slit throat staining the bed, and her sprawled body below the headstone, eyes still open in horror. Another death that was her fault. She let another warm tear fall, and she rested herself against the wall, everyone's voices becoming mere echoes. The last thing she felt was herself being lifted by two sets of hands onto a stretcher. She was carefully wheeled out of the Doyle residence and a heavy blanket was placed on her as she went into the cool night air. Once she was in the ambulance, she heard a faint voice.

“Laurie? Can you hear me?”

She slowly opened her eyes, but the world was but a haze. “Don't let them put me to sleep. Don't let them put me to sleep,” Laurie murmured. She didn't want to be unaware in the event Michael came back for her. The girl had started this, she needed to stay awake.

“It's okay.”

When the girl finally had the strength to open her eyes again, she was being wheeled into the back door of the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. Lights strained her eyes and she felt discombobulated. She was then placed on an examination bed after the maze of halls. Laurie only heard something about the doctor being drunk at a country club and whatever was injured on her.

“Janet, get me some more coffee.” The doctor sighed and looked to the girl. “Hi there,” he paused, “let's see what we have here.” The man instantly took notice of her arm and reached forward to inspect it, the blood now dripping past her elbow. “Oh yes, you lost a lot of blood. We'll need to type it.”

Laurie groaned at the touch, goosebumps covering her skin. Between the lighting of the examination table, the cool surface, her mental fog, and the stinging of her arm, she felt ill. Suddenly, two nurses were surrounding her, and one held her hand as an elastic band was fastened to her right arm. The nurse by her foot swabbed a portion of her arm below the band and handed the doctor a syringe, a sight that made her nervous.

“When was the last time you had a tetanus shot?”

The needle slipped in and pain followed.

“I don't know,” Laurie grunted, looking over to the man in discomfort. She then looked to the other.

“Get me some 3.0 nylon on...” the doctor trailed.

“Cutting needle?” replied a nurse.

“Yes.”

“Right away.”

“We're going to have to put her out,” the man stated, which made Laurie dart her head up from the pillow. That was the last thing she wanted.

“No! No! Don't put me to sleep!” Her concern was made explicit and she began to shake. She felt nauseous.

There were murmurs of _relax_ , _nylon's not going to hurt you_ , and Laurie murmuring ‘no,’ to not ‘put her to sleep.’

“Take it easy,” the doctor cooed as he placed another needle into her arm, eliciting a pained grunt from the girl.

“Try to relax, Laurie,” the blonde nurse said coolly. “Doctor Mixter will have you stitched up in no time.”

Laurie felt only pain and her face scrunched up, turning over in despair.

“Take it easy, Laurie,” the man repeated.

The process continued until the girl lost all consciousness and gently fell to the bed. They had to inspect everything. Her vitals, her wounds, her blood, and what appeared to be a broken leg.

 

✳✳✳

 

“Laurie, Laurie Strode. Is she here?”

“Yes, ma'am, but we're not allowed to let you see her, she is still being inspected,” a short haired nurse replied.

“I am Marion Chambers, a nurse at Smith's Grove. I know Laurie personally,” the taller woman stated, nervously biting her bottom lip.

The blonde seemed to have difficulty processing Chamber’s words, but eventually gave in to Marion's request. She led her down a hall and directly outside Laurie's room. “I'm not sure when they'll be done with her, but I'm guessing Laurie's blood work will be done soon. She suffered a severe bone crack and blood loss.”

“Thank you for your help, Janet,” Marion replied, shuffling inside her coat pocket for a cigarette. Once the nurse walked away, she lit the end and exhaled smoke. It was odd to be in a medical setting without her professional attire, but once she received a call from Loomis, she felt obligated to be present. She was worried about the girl physically and emotionally. It was devastating. Devastating to see something so beautiful built and ruined before her own eyes. Marion hated to admit it, but Loomis was right. It was painful to leave someone, but it was pure evil to kill and to destroy everything a loved one knew.

Michael had a goal from the moment she resigned mere days ago. It frightened Chambers that such a rapid switch was made in the boy who seemed to be more human with each time he saw the girl. She didn't know what was said or done that changed it all, but she was willing to bet it was why Michael jumped at the opportunity to escape. Laurie had been on the woman's mind all day and she scorned herself for staying behind and praying for the best when she knew Michael wasn't mentally sound. Marion needed to stick around for the girl, as she was the sole person Laurie confided in in the first place. The woman wanted to do right by Laurie and protect her from the evil that left the institution. Whether it was love or not, Michael was gone, and he was far past mending. Before she could continue her grief, the door beside her opened. It was Laurie's doctor. He appeared to be dumbfounded.

“Hello, are you the guardian of Miss Strode?”

“At the moment, I am.” She put her cigarette to her lips expectantly.

“Doctor Mixter.” He held out his hand to the taller woman.

“Marion Chambers.” She blew out the smoke in her chest and firmly shook the elder's hand.

“Well, the good news is Laurie’s going to be just fine. She got cut a bad one on her arm and is going to need to rest her leg for a bit. She'll need to keep the leg wrapped tightly to repair the crack and as for the wound, just monitor it doesn't get infected and she will be fine. Stitches will need to be removed in about a week.” He ran a hand through his silver locks and looked to the side, not knowing how to address what else was detected.

The nurse nodded and arched a brow, tilting her head anxiously. She had a lingering feeling there was more and it made her stomach churn slightly. “What is it, Doctor?” The rose fabric of her sweater laid uncomfortably against her neck.

“Is there something we should be aware of? Has she told you anything fairly recently?” he inquired, leaning against the pale wall.

Marion gulped. Something was wrong. Something happened to Laurie and she needed to know what. “No, why would she have needed to? Is she alright?” She nervously took another puff off her cigarette.

Doctor Mixter nodded his head and looked to his feet, then to her. “Well, Mrs. Chambers, I don't know how to tell you this, but we ran a few blood tests and couldn't help but notice there were traces of hCG.” He bit his lip, “Human Chor—”

“Ionic Gonadotropin,” Marion gasped, finishing his sentence. She couldn't believe it. Of all the outcomes, she could never have predicted this. Did Laurie even know? Did her and Michael hide this? The brunette looked to the flabbergasted doctor.

“It was a negligible amount, but enough to confirm what we suspected. From the looks of it, it was very recent, I'm willing to bet even Miss Strode doesn't know.” He stood, watching Marion try to compose herself. “Give us an hour to finish and you may visit her.” The man shook the staggered nurse's hand one last time before making it back to the room.

Marion frantically ran to the main desk without a second thought and once she reached it, put out her cigarette. “Do you have a two-way radio I could borrow? It's an emergency.” She pulled a lock behind her ear and watched as the young girl nodded, motioning her to follow. She turned a corner and saw a set of mocoms lined up. Chambers gave a silent thank you to the girl and grabbed the off-white speaker, pressing the button urgently. “Marion Chambers at the Haddonfield clinic. May I please get a hold of Doctor Loomis?”

“10-4 unit here. We'll put out a dispatch.”

Marion waited until she heard a muffle, then a voice.

“Sheriff Brackett here, what's the emergency?”

“This is Nurse Marion Chambers. I need to speak with Doctor Sam Loomis!” Her fingers shook as she held the device.

“Marion, what is the matter?” Loomis impatiently demanded through the static.

“You need to come to the hospital. It's the girl,” she stated, her foot nervously tapping the floor. Marion wondered what he would even say, or how he’d react.

“We've got Michael and he is on his way back to the facility. I'm not leaving him until I know he is back in that building and locked up!” he hissed. Never again would he let his patient out of his sight. Evil never gave up and it would always exist. “What is wrong with the girl?”

The woman felt her blood boil; sometimes she hated her colleague's stubbornness. He was perceptibly concerned about Laurie, but not to the point of involvement. “Michael will be locked up and he won't get out. They'll make sure of it,” she argued. “Now get your ass over here.” Her thumb slid off the button, and she broke contact with the other radio. Chambers slammed the device on the counter and waited to see if the Doctor would take an order from her. It wasn't until an hour later she got her answer.

The nurse had been impatiently waiting by the glass door and once she saw the officer's car pull up to the entrance, a wave of relief passed. The man's trench coat blew with the frigid wind and Marion watched the intensity in his eyes as he made his way to the entrance. “What took you so long, Doctor?”

“What is the issue?” the Doctor asked sternly, his hand brushing the fabric of his coat aside.

Marion's heart skipped a beat. She didn't realize she'd have to admit to lies and the fact she went behind his back for months. The woman had hidden everything from him. “Sam, it's Laurie,” she anxiously paused, “and Michael.”

Doctor Loomis stood silently and stared into the brown eyes before him. “What about them?” he inquired menacingly.

“Sam, there's something you have to know. I-I never thought it would come to this, but it has. I haven't been honest about the girl or him.” The woman watched the man grow confused and she resisted the urge to smoke her fourth cigarette since entering the building. “Laurie and Michael were, well, friends.”

“Marion, what the hell are you talking about?” the Doctor said calmly, too calmly. Loomis looked at her as if she were foolish. He hadn't a clue where she was going and regretted wasting his time on her thus far.

“Doctor, what I'm saying is Michael spoke to her. Michael always spoke to her. I saw it with my own eyes.” The nurse pleaded, and Doctor Loomis' eyes widened in disbelief. “They talked, and I let it happen because I knew it was helping Michael. Doctor you have to believe me, I thought I was doing right by them—”

“What did he say!?” he demanded. His eyes grew icy and his face warm with intensity.

“I don't know, you'd have to ask Laurie. They, well,” she faltered, not knowing how to continue without giving Loomis a heart attack. “It became more than just a friendship. I found out back in September. I didn't know, but I-I continued to protect them from you. I didn't want you to break them apart.”

“Damnit, Marion!” the man yelled, kicking a stray chair. He grabbed the woman's shoulders and restrained himself from shaking her to death. How was it even possible, and why would she even think it was the right thing to do? Loomis had tried for years to bring him out of the emotionless shell that consumed him, and it took the girl mere months to get him to speak? “How could you!? How could you do this to me? To her!?”

Chambers clamped her eyes shut, unable to face her colleague. Her heart pounded frantically, because that wasn't even the end of it. “I wanted to help him, I swear! Laurie quit on Saturday. She-She never said goodbye to Michael, but she gave me a note to give him. I read it before I handed it over.”

“What did she tell him?”

“She told him she couldn't see him anymore because she was selfish with him. I left the note in his room for him,” Marion sighed, “I prayed that wasn't what set him off, but it was.”

Loomis shook. This girl was the reason for everything—she did what he could never, but she didn't know what he knew. Suddenly, it all made sense. Laurie couldn't judge him the way they did—a killer, the embodiment of evil. “This isn't possible...”

The woman gulped. “That's not all. The doctor told me—” She couldn't continue. It was impossible.

“Told you what!?” Loomis demanded, already in shock.

“They found hCG in her blood.”

Loomis let go of Marion, and his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. He stared to her in disbelief. He truly didn't know a thing about Laurie or Michael. It was absurd. How could it have happened? Laurie wasn't who he thought she was, Michael wasn't who he thought he was, and Marion certainly wasn't the professional he thought she was. The doctor was in the dark.

“Excuse me?” a voice interrupted. “Laurie is ready to be seen.” Doctor Mixter motioned them to follow. He felt as if he intruded a tense moment, but nonetheless the two followed, their attention solely on him.

Laurie groaned, an ache still permeating in her arm and leg. She felt like she'd been in a coma, as her hearing was muffled and her vision still fuzzy. The girl looked up to the dim light, then to the IV that sat near the bed she was now propped up on. Footsteps were heard, but she was more focused on the bandage on her upper arm and the gown that covered her. Laurie had to recall for a second where she was or what had happened, and immediate dread consumed her once she did.

“Laurie? Are you alright?” a woman's voice called. It sounded very familiar.

The girl blinked again, and she found two people standing above her. Laurie tried to focus and once she did, she saw both Marion and Doctor Loomis staring at her. She couldn't breathe. “Where am I?”

The nurse's hand laid on the girl's shoulder. “You're in the hospital, have been for a few hours now.”

“Oh,” she replied, still looking around the empty room.

“Hey, Laurie? Loomis and I talked,” Marion's voice lowered, “about you and Michael.”

Laurie promptly turned her head to the woman without reaction, but instinct. “No, no, you didn't!” She shook and attempted to lunge herself forward but felt both sets of hands restrain her.

“Miss Strode, stay calm. I am here to help you, not hurt you,” the Doctor guaranteed, feeling sorry for her. Loomis wanted to express his disappointment and disbelief, but he didn't have the heart to do it. Laurie was visibly scared, tired, and hurt. “I'm sorry I left you,” he apologized softly. His grip on her shoulder tightened.

“Laurie, you had a blood test done while you were out. Can you promise me to stay calm?” Marion held onto the girl's hand and kneeled. She felt awful for the girl. To see her go through all of this and it not even be the end. “Laurie?”

The girl nodded, anxiety rising. The world around her was spinning and she wished the day could just be swept aside. If only she could go back and stop it all.

Marion held her hand tighter and scooted closer. “Honey, you're pregnant.”


	16. Crash and Burn

**_Laurie sat still, numb_**. It took a full minute for her to properly understand and once she did, consternation overtook her. She couldn't help but begin to sob for what felt like the millionth time that night. “No! No, no, no!” she cried out, lunging out of bed, but both Loomis and Marion held her down. She whipped her head to the side and shook fiercely.

“Laurie, sweetie, take it easy. Please calm down, it's going to be okay and that's a promise.” Marion squeezed her hand and remained next to the girl. “I know this is a lot, take your time. Doctor Loomis and I only want to help you.” It was torture to watch Laurie sob and shake, then try to escape the bed again. It was going to take a lot to recover from it all. Chambers just hoped she'd take it easy.

“I'm sorry, oh god, I'm so sorry,” the blonde choked out, repeating it over and over through tears. She uncontrollably shook in fear and disbelief. Laurie held Marion as if she were a life-line and shifted her broken leg, wanting nothing more than to curl up and disappear.

“No, there's nothing to be sorry about, just relax,” Chambers cooed, moving her free hand to pull tear-dampened locks out of her face and behind her ear. “We're here and nothing is going to happen to you.” Michael would never touch her again as far as she was concerned, and she would help Laurie with whatever she needed.

The girl closed her eyes forcefully then looked to Loomis, feeling ashamed of herself. Laurie should have believed him when he said he was nothing but evil, but by the same token, she knew that wasn't Michael; it was only some form of evil. Laurie wondered how she'd continue, how her parents would react, and if she would be able to continue at school without her friends or sanity. Would she get rid of this child or raise it to the best of her abilities? Would she even be a fit mother with the trauma she would have to carry? The tears kept falling, and her throat went raw from all the screaming and crying.

“Miss Strode, I am not here to scold you nor am I here to make things worse. Once you are feeling better, hopefully later tonight, I will have to interrogate. I will make sure Michael never sees the light of day again. He can't hurt you anymore,” Loomis guaranteed. If only that were the truth, though. If it hadn't been for Sheriff Hawkins and Brackett, he would have killed Michael where he stood and shot him more than just a few times.

“M-My parents,” Laurie stuttered, looking back to the nurse. She couldn't fathom what they would do or think at the thought of their pristine daughter doing such a thing. The girl was already so ashamed of herself.

“They've been called. I will talk to them and explain it all. Just rest, you're going to be staying here overnight, then you'll go home,” the nurse assured, knowing it wouldn't make Laurie’s life any easier to have her explain. She looked to Loomis then back to her. “I'm so sorry this happened, sweetie, I really am.”

Laurie averted her attention to Doctor Loomis. “Is-Is he going to know? About this?” She could only pray Michael wouldn't come back for her. If she was the catalyst, there was no doubt he'd come for her. She was the bearer of a part of him now, and if the teen was going to commit, that part of him and her would have to be kept safe at all costs.

The man shook his head. “My patient won't know a thing. What you choose to do from this point is up to you.” But Loomis had so many questions about his patient. The shock from it all was still so fresh.

“Thank you,” Laurie breathed, her sobs nearing an end. She scorned herself for letting any of it happen. The girl sniffled and put a hand to her stomach, not because she was expecting anything, but because she was wondering what she should do with that life and what the future potentially held. It was a responsibility she never thought would come her way, but it did, and it was a serious one. There was a side of her that said to remove any evidence it happened and move on, and another that told her to keep the baby and attempt to give it a life that was worthy of being lived. Laurie had already felt the pain of death, so it was a hard choice to make. Would she be willing to protect the child from its own blood? “I-I don't know what to do.”

Marion nodded, leaning down to hug the girl, her head resting on top of hers. “You don't have to know yet, but we will support you regardless of your decision.” She stroked her hair and pulled away. “Anything you need, I will be there to help. You're a strong girl, you know.” The woman offered a smile. “Are you alright if I leave you to Loomis, or would you like a bit longer to rest?”

Laurie nodded, wanting to get the pain over with as soon as possible. “I'm fine.”

The nurse gave a nod and told her she'd be waiting outside. Once the door closed, only Laurie and Loomis remained in the room.

The Doctor grabbed a chair to the side and sat next to the girl, eager to begin his interrigation despite her exhaustion. He grabbed a small notepad and pen in his pocket and clicked the device menacingly. “I want you to relax, Laurie, these questions are not meant to frighten you.” Loomis flipped to a fresh page and looked to the pale, hurt face before him. “Let's start from the beginning.”

The air became cold and Laurie wrapped her arms around herself, not feeling the slightest bit safe.

“Now as I recall, you began volunteering several months ago. Might I ask why you came to Smith's Grove?”

“I needed volunteer hours and was interested in psychiatry. Smith's Grove seemed better than Haddonfield Memorial,” she croaked. It made her nervous he felt the need to write this down. “Are you going to tell anyone?”

He scribbled, then looked to her blankly. “This will be a secret between us, I assure you, but I need to keep this on record.” Loomis continued to make notes and cleared his throat. “I had warned you to stay away from my patient, but I now see that wasn't the case.” Another scribble was made. “When did he begin to acknowledge you, Miss Strode?” Nothing interested him more than how Michael behaved outside of that thing he saw daily.

Laurie bit her lip, thinking back to the beginning, the simple and happy beginning. It stung like salt to a wound. “I-I don't know, it was in May.”

“Did he speak?” This was the question that mattered to him the most. The single thing he tried to make happen in the fifteen years he had Michael as a patient.

The girl took a deep breath, wondering how much longer she could continue answering his questions. “Yes. He told me his name, but that was it. He-He smiled at me and listened to me.” But the mask, the emotionless mask kept flashing in her mind, and it was slowly washing away every memory of the boy's handsome face.

Doctor Loomis leaned forward after making another note. “How long did this continue?”

“Up until last Friday...before I quit.” She never should have quit, never should have left him the way she did. She should have run the other way the moment she saw his face.

The man nodded and looked to the ground, wondering how he should bring about the next concerning subject. There was an obvious cause as to why she was now expecting. “Miss Strode, feel free to take your time with this next question. I am only asking to confirm.”

Silence filled the room.

“How many times were you intimate with Michael?”

Laurie bit her lip, looking to the side. She promised she wouldn't cry again, yet another hot tear fell. By the end of the night, she hoped she'd have no tears left. “Just...just once.”

“When?”

“Last Friday,” she gulped, her fist clenching the ivory bed sheets. It was uncomfortable enough to tell Loomis, but worse knowing it was her fault.

Loomis nodded and contained his inner conflict at both Laurie and Michael. He reviled Laurie’s deception, yet understood she thought she was doing right by him. As for Michael, he was still surprised at the presence of emotion. There had to be an adequate level of communication and physical response for such an event to occur. He would have questioned it, but he knew it was consensual. “Did Michael ever hurt you?”

The blonde immediately shook her head. “No. Michael was kind to me.” She took a deep breath and tried not to emotionally attach herself to the past. “H-He cared about me, asked if I was fine a lot.” Laurie loved that smiling face she remembered, the one that laughed with her, the person that hugged her when she visited. The face she saw tonight was plastic. It was as if something possessed him.

The Doctor was taken aback—who would have thought Michael was emotional and had empathy? It was something he would've liked to witness to distinguish its validity. “Did Michael ever seem troubled?” he inquired, wondering if the court date or the killing of Judith ever interfered. He promptly scribbled once he saw a nod of the head.

“Many times. Especially toward the end.” Laurie hated that phrase: _the end_.

“What were those times specifically?” he asked on behalf of himself more so than official record.

“When I—when I kissed him the first time. He pulled back...always said it wasn't me, that it was him,” she bit her lip and sniffled. A pain built in her throat and she struggled to restrain pending tears.

“Take your time,” Doctor Loomis reminded her. As much as he was disappointed, the Doctor felt bad for the girl. He may have known Michael as a murderer, but she knew him as a lover.

“W-When he was uncomfortable, he turned away and became blank again. I-I had to remind him to come out of it.” Another sniffle sounded, and she wiped her eyes. “He sometimes talked about it being because of bad memories. Never told me what memories, though. I-I still don't know.” Laurie gulped and looked to the Doctor. He knew something she didn't and now was her chance to find out. She watched the man and kept quiet until she couldn't any longer. “What happened to him? Why was he there?”

Doctor Loomis forgot she lacked the pivotal piece of the story. “You see, Michael Audrey Myers came to Smith's Grove at the age of six. He grew up as any child did, but with an abusive father and a miserable mother.” Now for the worst part, the part he regretted to tell her. “Michael was fine until Halloween night of 1963 came around. He had a sister. Her name was Judith.”

 _Judith_. The name engraved onto the slab of stone above Annie's cold, dead body. A chill ran down Laurie's spine and she shook her head. Some part of her wanted to believe it wasn't Michael, but Loomis killed the fantasy.

“Judith was left to watch Michael when their parents left. After trick-or-treating, she forgot about him. She was with her boyfriend and was unaware Michael had a plan. Once the boyfriend left, he grabbed a knife and made his way to her room, making sure he was masked as he did so.” Loomis cleared his throat, still remembering the young blonde boy. “He stabbed her. Multiple times, all penetrating. Michael then ran out of the house, but his parents were there, and they tore the mask off, only to find their son speechless, emotionless.”

Her eyes widened and she backed into her bed, as if it would save her from her dismay. “Why? W-Why would he do that?”

“Because something exists inside him. I think that something is evil. He lost himself to it more and more, which is why I find your experience particularly interesting.” The man remembered there was a parallel, though. “You live in Haddonfield, don't you?”

Laurie gave a slight nod and Doctor Loomis wondered if she already knew the story somehow. Everyone in Haddonfield knew it.

“So did Michael. I reckon you've heard something about a family, a cursed home?”

Suddenly, everything made sense. That morning her dad told her to drop a key off at the Myers place. Michael Myers' previous home, the one Tommy said was cursed, haunted. Laurie didn't believe him, she thought of it as some tale, but she now knew it was the harsh reality. She was in love with the curse. “Yes,” the blonde shook her head and pressed a finger to her temple. “My dad is selling the house.” An intense ache filled Laurie's head and she fought the urge to tell Loomis she’d had enough for the night.

The Doctor's eyes widened and at once took to his journal. He remembered the sign on the lawn when he approached the home. “Ah, yes, Strode Realty. Coincidental.” The man clicked his pen and averted his eyes back to Laurie. He saw a frightened young girl, a scarred girl, and he felt sorry for her. “I wish you the best of luck, Miss Strode. I will be in touch with you for a long while. Michael will remain in a locked room the rest of his days.” He paused. “Would you like to tell me anything else before we conclude?”

Termination was the only answer. Michael proved himself the evil being that he was even fifteen years ago; he just happened to find someone he was willing to ignore the wickedness for, but when it was ruined, it consumed him. The doctor was positive now than ever that Michael was dead, already buried in the ground, and eaten up flesh and bone.

Laurie looked to the IV in her arm and the cold fluid that flowed down the tube. “The baby. Will it be safe?” There was no doubt the child would serve as a constant reminder for Laurie, but of all people, she was best equipped to handle it. She was responsible and managed to protect herself and two children earlier in the evening. Laurie could protect herself from Michael. Emotional damage and all, she could get through it.

“With you as it’s mother, yes, and most definitely as long as I am alive.” Loomis stated, looking to Laurie in assurance. He wouldn't give up on the girl, and he would try to rid the world of his evil. “I will give you back to Chambers. Take it easy, Laurie.”

She nodded, feeling the slightest bit safer. There was still danger in it, but she would go through with it. Laurie had to remind herself she had this child with Michael, not the masked psychopath. It would be a hard journey, but she had to stay strong no matter what—for her sake and the child's.


	17. Left With Pain

**November 1st, 1978**

 

Laurie hadn't slept most of the night following Loomis' interview. Marion had stayed with her up until her parents came to pick her up. She’d answered all of Laurie's questions and told her stories of her own son to pass the time. The Haddonfield High dance had been cancelled due to the death of three students, all of which were her friends, and she was left with the pain of it all. Her nerves were especially high having to go home and explain to her parents. What would everyone think of her now?

 She dressed herself in a heavy felt jacket and bell bottoms brought by her parents. The girl was placed in a wheelchair and silently pushed to the car by a nurse to avoid any local press documenting the horrific night. Marion had a chat with Laurie's parents as she waited in the vehicle as the woman had promised. Nausea and jitters filled the girl as she waited for her parents to come back, and her hand shook as she played with a button on her jacket. Laurie was thankful for Chambers sticking with her as long as she could, but it didn't erase any of her fears. When the nurse left her and her parents returned, she gulped, but it was just silent. It remained silent until they got home. Both her mom and dad helped her out of the car and slung each of her arms around their shoulders. They led her in the door and helped her up the stairs, not stopping until she laid safely in her bed.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” her mom asked, pulling Laurie's blankets over her. Her voice broke the silence, but not the tense moment.

Laurie opened her mouth, but only made a small noise. She then closed it. She couldn't say a word, she could only let tears escape. The girl looked to her father, who seemed furious, and her mom, who was utterly concerned. It wasn't comfortable, it wasn't normal, and she didn't feel any support. Laurie let out a sob and tried to swallow them, but more tears streamed down her face.

“Your father and I, we are worried about you.” Pamela looked to her husband. “Morgan?”

“How could you do this!? To our name!? You knew better! We never questioned you because we trusted you!” the man erupted. He clenched his hand by his side, shaking furiously. “We didn't raise you like this, Laurie. You can't open your legs for whoever you meet, and especially not for some psychotic patient!”

“Morgan, Please! You know you don't mean that!” the woman yelled. She shook her head and sat by her daughter, reaching forward to wipe the falling tears from her cheeks. “Honey, we're not mad, but we are disappointed. We're glad you made it out okay. You saved Tommy and Lindsey.”

Suddenly, Laurie looked to her mom and sniffled, her dad's comment erased for the moment. She had forgotten about them. Laurie prayed they made it to their parents and got help. “Are they okay?”

Pamela nodded. “They're fine, I talked to Tommy's parents before we left. They took him to the hospital as well, just to make sure both kids were fine.” She looked to the bed sheet, her mind going to her daughter's pregnancy. She wondered if she should tell her. “You can't babysit him anymore, Laurie.” When her daughter gave her a pained, quizzical look, she sighed. “They-They said it was a bad influence to have you around Tommy while you’re pregnant. Said that you put him in danger.”

Laurie's throat constricted. Already, she put shame on the Strode name. She felt like a burden, a trouble-maker, a curse, everything she never used to be. It hurt. No one trusted her like they used to. They thought of her differently—a girl who got knocked up by a psychopath who killed her friends.

“Seventeen is a young age to be pregnant, my dear. Are you sure you don't want to change your plans? That child is going to grow up with that boy's traits.” She grabbed Laurie's hand and prayed she'd just get rid of it. Morgan thought it would be selfish of Laurie to abort, but Pamela wanted her daughter to do it. It would just be a reminder of him. “I just don't think it'd be healthy for you.”

Laurie scrunched her brows at her mom and her vision became clouded by her own tears. She felt like she didn't know them anymore. It was already worse than she anticipated. “How, mom!? How?” she wailed. “It deserves a life! The baby wasn't conceived out of hate. I loved him!”

Pamela set her back on her pillow and shook her head in disapproval. “Honey, he murdered your friends.” The woman felt tears welling in her eyes as well. “That wasn't love.” She sniffled. “I just hope you're ready for the responsibility of raising it. I can only help you so much.” Pamela nodded her head, as if she were processing it all. “Rest, Laurie. You need it.” She kissed her daughter's forehead and walked out of the room with haste. There was too much to digest: being thankful her daughter survived the attack but knowing that attack was from someone she had a relationship with, and that someone going psycho. Pamela promised herself she'd be accepting, but she didn't want a grandchild that had a non-conventional life. She never even knew it’s father.

Laurie closed her eyes, her head throbbing as if it wanted to crack open and stop all thinking. She let another tear fall and looked to her eerily silent father, who just watched with a straight face. “Dad—Dad I'm sorry,” she shook, not wanting to lose him.

“It's going to take a while until I can forgive you.” He shook his head, looking at her as if she were just an object. “I'm ashamed. I hope you think about what you've done, Laurie.” Morgan paused, about to continue, but he figured that was enough. He turned around and left her room, closing the door on the way out.

Laurie's mouth hung open and her eyes stung. She wanted to just perish, be someone else, not some girl that ruined her family and fell in love with a boy with a murderous streak. The girl moved to her side and held a pillow to her mouth. She let out a scream, a continuous scream followed by more sobs. She felt she’d lost her sanity, her family, and herself. Before Friday, everything was perfect. The girl closed her eyes and slowly curled herself into a ball, her limbs shaking. Laurie had no friends, ashamed parents, and now, a child that she prayed wouldn't suffer.

 

✳✳✳

 

“How did you get through it? Did your parents ever forgive you?” Sheriff Barker asked, tipping his black hat back.

Laurie nodded, for it being such an old wound, it still felt fresh. “I didn't. It took a month until I could get back to school. Thanksgiving passed before they finally acted decent.”

“And how did you cope with the death of your friends? Annie and Lynda's funeral?” he asked.

The blonde tried to remember, but it was hard when she tried to shut it out. All she could recall was looking at her friends' dead faces and sobbing by their caskets for hours on end. “I didn't cope at all.”

 

✳✳✳

 

_November 7th, 1978_

It had been an endless event of songs and prayer, and everyone from Haddonfield High was involved. Everyone cried, everyone felt horrible, but none of it matched what Laurie felt. She was offered to speak about her friends in front of the crowd, but she refused, she couldn't. Of course, Laurie had wonderful things to say, but she knew it was her fault they died, and she didn't want to speak to anyone. They couldn't know she was the reason for everything. So, there she sat, watching a priest host the funeral, while her mind remained on Halloween night. The night she found her friends dead. Laurie didn't want to be around any of these people, she wanted to be alone. After a couple hours passed and only a few people remained, Laurie mustered enough courage to go to the two caskets.

Her legs led her to Lynda’s, and she leaned down. _Michael didn't do this_ , she reminded herself as she stared at the lifeless face. It was pale, unlike Lynda's usual self, who was colorful and happy. She always talked about boys and cheer, never was there a moment when a smile wasn't on her face. Laurie sniffled and felt a hot tear run down her face, she deserved better, both her and Annie. “I'm sorry,” she whispered, mascara running down her cheeks. Her hand reached forward, and she pulled her blonde locks back. Laurie leaned down and softly kissed her cold forehead. She moved to Annie and felt even worse. The image of her slashed neck, her sprawled body on the bed. Laurie closed her eyes and breathed, trying not to have a breakdown. The girl lowered herself and gazed at Annie. It hurt even more because this was someone she was especially close to. Laurie loved her laugh, her sarcastic humor, her daring personality. She even loved Annie despite her thinking she liked Ben Tramer. Her skin was also pale and cold, and the collar of her shirt hid her slit throat. “I'm sorry, girl-scout,” she shook her head and began to release even more tears. “I'll miss you.” Laurie remembered the night she told Annie to take her home and she’d asked her if she was fine. She should have told her what was wrong. Maybe it wouldn't have ended like this if she just did something, _anything_ differently. Laurie leaned forward and gave her forehead a soft kiss.

“Laurie?” a soft voice called.

The girl’s head turned, and she wiped the makeup under her eyes, hoping she didn't look worse than she felt. “Mr. Brackett, I-I'm sorry.” Laurie felt she'd said it so much, but she felt she especially owed one to him. He saved her from the house, but she killed his daughter. “God, I'm so sorry.”

The man shook his head and gently grabbed Laurie's shoulders. “It's alright, I promise. You're strong for what you did, saving those kids. I know you're going through a lot right now.” If he were to be honest, he blamed the doctor for not administering higher security. He'd spoken to her parents in the time she said goodbye to the girls and was told everything. He could have been mad, but he understood. Mr. Brackett always liked Laurie and it was a lot to be in the situation she was. “You know, if you ever need anyone to talk to, Joanne and I are here.”

Laurie arched a brow. “You-You know?” He gave a nod and she bit her lip, wondering why he didn't shoot her where she stood. “Thank you, Mr. Brackett.” She was about to walk off but felt herself embraced by the man. The girl was taken aback but returned it desperately. Her hands gripped the silk of his navy jacket and Laurie shut her eyes, feeling safe enough to let her whimpers escape. “It's my fault, it’s all my fault.”

The man ran his hand along her back and hushed her. “This wasn't your fault. You weren't the killer. You were in a difficult place; how could you have known?” He felt awful for the girl. He knew Laurie was a kind, responsible girl that didn't deserve such trauma. “I need you to take things slow. You're going to be okay. We'll all be.”

But how could she take it slow when her parents pressured her into continuing as perfect Laurie Strode? She was left to herself. Left with the thoughts of Michael and their child.

Laurie nodded and gently pulled away from the man. “I will, Mr. Brackett, I promise,” she lied, turning around to find a place to hide. The girl needed to leave everyone around her as soon as she could, or she'd pass out. As she darted, her eyes went to an officer standing to the side, and she glanced at his badge. _Hawkins_. It felt like she'd seen that man everywhere and it made her nervous. Laurie dashed to the bathroom after the odd gaze from the man, hoping he didn't know. No one could know.


	18. Swollen Heart

**_The sheriff flipped a page of Loomis' notes_** , most of which were conducted the night of the terror. “December was a rough month for you, I see. You were growing sick from how far along you were with the pregnancy and struggled to catch up in school. Why was that?”

“I had to apply to colleges, make up a whole month of schoolwork. My parents pressured me every night to do it,” the woman spoke, remembering the tiresome nights without sleep, working, forgetting to eat or not wanting to, vomiting in the mornings, then walking in the snow just to make it to school.

The man looked at the woman's pale, distraught face. For all she went through, Laurie had aged alright, but at the cost of her sanity, which diminished with time. “Was anyone suspicious? Did anyone know?”

Laurie shook her head. “I never told anyone. I didn't want them to think of me as my parents or the Doyle's had. They were proof enough.” The woman bit her lip, remembering one instance she told someone; an old friend.

 

✳✳✳

 

_December 25th, 1978_

“Chemistry test, government test, and language project,” Laurie repeated to herself while running a brush through her hair one last time before she took off. She had errands to run for last-minute Christmas decorations and recipes and had tests to study for, as well as projects to do before the break ended. The girl leaned toward the mirror and took notice of the purple bags under her eyes. She wondered when she last slept for more than a three-hour interval without waking up feeling lost.

It became increasingly difficult to take care of herself. She was busy trying to keep her life intact while maintaining her grades and she had the baby to be mindful of, too. Laurie had no time for herself and feared her stress and physical strain would take its toll on her and her child. There was never a moment she didn't dwell on Halloween night or Michael, however. She found herself missing Michael, the real Michael. She felt alone and painfully so. The blonde often thought about what Michael was doing, or if there was even a trace of him left. Was he with Loomis, was he reading, or was he blankly staring out his window without a thought? It didn't matter as much as the blood on her hands, though: Annie's, Lynda's, Bob's, and even Michael's. The girl felt she worked so hard to wash the guilt away, but it was branded onto her very being.

Before her thoughts could get the best of her, a wave of sickness went from her stomach and into her throat, bringing her to her knees. Laurie retched, bringing up every piece of breakfast, the force from it so hard, she had to stop tears from falling. Once she finished, her throat burned and her head hurt more than it did before. She sat for a moment, wishing she could go back to bed, but forced herself to get up. Laurie promised herself she would attempt to eat something later to make up for the lack of energy. The teen sniffled and walked out of her bedroom, only a subtle pain still in her leg from the formerly cracked bone.

“Be safe, Laurie!” her mom called out as she watched her daughter open the front door. She had been preparing the table for dinner and was clad in an obnoxious Christmas sweater.

“I will,” Laurie called back, desperately stepping outside to the polar atmosphere. The air held a chill and small ice crystals danced their way to the frozen surface of the Earth; it looked like Christmas. The girl gave a gentle smile, able to forget her gloom for a moment. Strode inched toward her father's Cadillac and thought of Christmas' years ago, how happy and innocent things were. It made her want to cry, but she was afraid she'd done it too much. Laurie had finally run out of tears and she’d lost whatever happiness she had left. Her home life could’ve been perfect, and she would still have felt such a depression.

“Laurie!” a small voice called in excitement.

The blonde arched a brow, abruptly cut from her thoughts. She whipped her head over to the shorter figure in front of her and her eyes widened. “Tommy!? What are you doing here?”

Tommy gave a smile and gently yanked on the end of Laurie's jacket. “My mom told me I could take a walk. I wanted to know where you've been,” he shrugged, “I haven't seen you in forever.” The boy's blue eyes looked up to the girl in concern. “Are you sick?”

Laurie gave a warm smile, deciding it was best to stick to the lie. “Yeah, I've been sick. How have you been?” Her hand reached forward to playfully mess up his hair.

Tommy gave another shrug, as if disappointed by her answer. “Fine, I guess. Lonnie believes in the boogeyman now.” He gave a Cheshire grin, but was oblivious to the discomfort Laurie felt. Once he noticed she didn't return a smile, just a look of horror, he was rudely reminded it wasn't a joke to her. She saved him from the boogeyman. “Are you okay? Did—Did the boogeyman make you sick?”

The girl kneeled to face the boy and she bit her lip, again nodding. “Yeah, that's a way to put it.”

“Why do my parents not want me seeing you anymore?” his voice escaped innocently.

Another hard question to answer. Laurie knew Tommy was curious, and his personality didn't give up until he got the truth. “Can you keep a secret?” She gave a small smile once the boy nodded enthusiastically. “I'm pregnant.”

Tommy stood for a second, and once he finally understood, his eyes turned to saucers. “You mean you're going to be a mom!?” the boy yelled louder than he’d intended to.

Laurie placed a hand over the boy's mouth and shushed him. “Yes, but it's a secret Tommy, don't go around yelling it to everyone.”

“I thought you said the boogeyman made you sick,” Tommy trailed, watching the girl in disbelief.

But Michael wasn't the boogeyman.

She shook her head. “He did, but this has made me sick as well.” Laurie couldn't explain it to a six-year old, plus the boy was forbidden from talking to her. It was her last wish to get Tommy in trouble on Christmas.

“Will you get better? Is it a boy or girl?” His volume only went higher.

“I will, and I don't know, so don't put your hopes on either,” she chuckled, amused by the innocence of his questions. The girl knelt and gently grabbed the younger, pulling him to a warm embrace, which he returned rather tightly. “Merry Christmas, Tommy. Behave.”

Doyle nodded, hugging her back with all his might and gave a cheeky smile. “I will. Feel better, Laurie.”

The blonde closed her eyes and nodded, taking comfort in the familiarity of a friend. “Thank you.” Once the boy let go, which took an eternity, she smiled and unlocked her car.

“Hey Laurie?” he quipped.

“Yes?”

“Will I ever see you again?” Tommy asked sadly, not wanting to say goodbye to the girl he'd known for years. His savior.

Laurie bit her lip, she couldn't give him a definite answer, but she nodded regardless. “We'll find a way. Now go get a heavier coat on, it's freezing out here.” Laurie grinned as the boy waved and ran off as if the devil were chasing him. Of course, she wasn't supposed to see him, but she was glad she did.

 

✳✳✳

 

"So, you finished high school in June of 1979 and met your parents' expectations academically. Says here you were happy for the first time since October. Why was that?" Sheriff Barker queried, leaning his head on his fist.

“I could finally focus on my child. I became happy with knowing even if I had no one, I'd always have her,” Laurie paused. “The day I graduated was the day I became focused on my role as a mother.” It was about the only good part of her story.

Barker gave a nod. “And how did graduation day go?”

 

✳✳✳

 

_June 15th, 1979_

Laurie smiled as she held the thick piece of paper in her hand—her sentence of freedom. She waved goodbye to her teachers and finally to the school, glad for the memories, but grateful to move on. Her mom talked to her about college, but that was the last thing on her mind. Laurie was excited, overjoyed, to be able to focus on her child. It had been a hard journey hiding it all, because no matter how hard she tried, teachers and students had their suspicions, but they were respectful and either didn't say a thing or asked if she was alright. Laurie led everyone to believe she was just sick. As time went on, there was never a day she didn't wear something blousey with layers. When it became more noticeable, she began to conceal herself with bags, backpacks, anything she could use for cover, but she’d lost so much weight that even that was unnecessary. Combined with her small frame and lowering weight, it was almost effortless to hide.

The first time she felt the baby move was the first time she realized it was official, and it scared her, but also brought her so much joy. She was going to be a mom. Laurie had kept in touch with Doctor Loomis and Marion as much as she could, but she tried not to dwell on the conversations. She hated being asked if she was okay, hated having to still remember.

“Sooo, are you happy about being accepted to University of Illinois?” her dad questioned as he took a bite of his bruschetta.

Laurie shrugged. “I don't know. Champaign seems a bit far.” She knew she wasn't going to go for long, but nonetheless she smiled.

Her parents had elected on going out to some Italian restaurant as a celebratory graduation dinner. The girl at first dreaded it but was unaware of the joy she'd feel from finally being free of school. Nothing could bring her mood down, she just feared the feeling would end and leave her with her fears again.

“You're going to be with your aunt for however long you're there. It'll work out—we'll take care of stuff here,” her dad stated confidently.

They'd already planned everything out meticulously. Her mom would help her with the baby and her father came up with the cover for when Laurie left. It technically wasn't a lie; the college circumstance was beneficial.

“Hey, let's not talk about school for now. I think we need to address something important,” Pamela smiled, leaning forward to grab Laurie's hand. It was a subject no one really talked about, only occasionally. “We're going to have a new family member next month.” Her tone indicated she was happy, trying to be supportive. Pamela felt inclined to watch Laurie's habits closely, making sure she was handling it well. The woman knew Laurie was perfectly capable, she was mindful of the baby, but she could have had improvement on her concerning eating habits and sleep.

Laurie scrunched her brow and put her spoon down. She always felt this certain embarrassment when it was mentioned in front of her parents, even if they'd become more supportive. “Mom, I know, late July.” The girl gave a slight smile. Laurie kept her child to herself. Her parents may have thought it selfish, but it was something of her own, someone of her own. She didn't want to share because she was afraid of losing her. No one would ever hurt her or make her feel the way Laurie had. She was the last living relic of Michael.

“What's my grand-baby's name going to be?” Her mom gave a cheeky grin and leaned forward.

Laurie's smile widened upon the question. The girl may have hoarded her for herself, but she loved talking about her child. She had thought about it for a while, and it wasn't until a few weeks ago she came up with her answer. “Karen.” It was simple, yet pretty.

“Good choice, darling.” Morgan smiled as he finished his meal. His wife continued to go on about the baby and he silently commiserated with Laurie. He was no doubt happy for his daughter, but he was also concerned. Pamela may have seen Laurie as a good mother, but Laurie’s mental state should have been evaluated. Her stress management was not the greatest, but knowing Laurie, she'd put the pieces together. At least he hoped.

The check came as her mom was about to further question her, and Laurie was relieved once her mom and dad were occupied. She looked around and bit her lip, wanting time with just herself and her daughter rather than the busy world around her. The girl did this for the baby, if it hadn't been for her, Laurie doubted she could've carried on in school. She was forced to stay strong because it was the only choice she had. If she wasn't held under that standard, she would've let herself delve into more of an emotional ruin than she had.

Laurie pulled her jacket in her arms and subconsciously covered the tiny bump on her stomach with it. She didn't even have a need to hide it any longer, but she still took the Strode name seriously and felt all eyes would be on a girl as young as her, regardless of her name. Haddonfield was a small town and word got around fast, over half of the population ran under the assumption she was just ill. Laurie walked out and made her way to the vehicle, making sure no one was looking as she threw the jacket to the seat. She sat and remained silent for the whole ride home, only engaging when her mom and dad asked a question or had something funny to say. Once she got back, she wanted to dash up the stairs to be alone. She wasn't upset, she just wanted genuine rest and to prepare herself before going away.

“Goodnight, Laurie,” her mom and dad said in unison before she took off to her room. For once, they made her feel normal. It felt like old times, when everything was normal.

“Night,” she smiled, desperate to rest and savor the happiness. It was such a rare feeling, Laurie wanted to bask in it for as long as she could.

The girl slowly walked up the stairs and into her room. She closed the door and threw her jacket to the floor, sharply inhaling. Laurie grabbed her pajamas and slowly walked to the bathroom, placing a soft hand on the firm surface of her stomach. She loved every moment she got with Karen, because outside closed doors she had to act like she didn't exist. Laurie hummed to herself as she pulled off the loose-fitting dresstop she was wearing and removed her dresspants, letting them fall to the floor. She walked away from the articles of clothing and looked to herself in the mirror. She remembered months ago looking at herself in shame, worry, fear. As of now, the girl was able to smile. Her stomach protruded slightly, and she found herself wanting the next month to come as fast as possible. The baby didn't know it, but she was her everything.

The blonde grabbed her pajama tank and slid it over herself, proceeding to pull on shorts that matched the blue of the shirt. Laurie yawned and pulled her hair back, reaching down to throw her clothes in her overflowing laundry bin. She walked out to her room and climbed onto her bed, gently laying herself on her back. “We made it, kiddo,” she spoke.

A comfortable silence filled the room and she reached over to her lamp, turning it on so a dim light filled the room.

“How are you doing, baby?” Laurie cooed, her hand pulling her shirt up and over the bump. Her fingers softly traced her stomach and she gently tapped. “You awake?” Suddenly, she felt a fluttering soft kick and she smiled, her heart jumping in joy. “Guess you are. You're making your mother impatient, you know,” she looked to the bump accusingly, “I want to see your beautiful face.” She gulped, feeling rather chatty. “I'm sorry I put you through all this. It could've gone better.”

Another kick came.

Laurie grinned, wishing she'd do it more often just to let her know she was still there. “We'll make it work, I swear,” she promised, her thoughts going to Michael. She talked about many things to the baby but never him, she left that for herself. But maybe not tonight. Laurie ran her thumb along her stomach and bit her lip. “I'm sorry your daddy isn't here anymore, that's a little complicated. Mommy might've messed some things up.” She thought she'd cry, but she felt better, the best she had in a long while. “I think he would've liked you. He was a nice guy,” the teen beamed, knowing well she couldn't understand, but still wanted her to know. “Michael was his name. He was a smart boy, but he was lost. No one wanted to think of him as a person, just a thing, and I think that hurt him.” The girl looked to her stomach and smiled, tapping it again. “You still there?”

A few more kicks came.

Strode smiled,  _good_. “I was able to reach him after a while, but I wasn't supposed to. Your dad and I fell in love. I visited him a lot, but he wasn't doing so well.” She gazed to the bump. “He had a lot going on, something he'd been waiting for his whole life. I tried to help him, but he wouldn't let me.” Laurie felt a small wave in her stomach and giggled. “Yeah, he was stubborn like that.” She shifted to rest completely on her back and her eyes went to the ceiling, both hands cupping her stomach. “I felt bad about going behind everyone's back, so I thought I should leave him,” the blonde paused and closed her eyes tightly, “I never saw him again.” Laurie took in a shaken breath and exhaled, finding herself missing the boy she knew. “I'll stay with you always, baby. Nothing's ever going to hurt you. I promise.”


	19. Give My All

**_“Late July you gave birth to your daughter, Karen._** Doctor Loomis wrote about a meeting in late August before you went to Champaign with your aunt. Were you aware of what was being said about Halloween night?” Barker inquired, tipping his hat back on his bald head.

“Yes. Rumors about cancer, disease, viruses. Anything to explain why I acted or looked the way I did.” Laurie pulled a bleach blonde lock back and her glasses flared in the light. “But there also came the rumors of why. Everyone came up with the idea we were related, siblings, just to make it seem less erratic. All of Haddonfield was paranoid.” She looked to the officer. “College was a way to escape Haddonfield and leave me to Karen without worrying who knew.”

The man wordlessly imbibed the facts. “Why did Loomis want to keep in touch when Michael was contained? He had the proof in front of him.”

Laurie looked at him and tilted her head, wondering why he'd ask such a naive question. “You expected him to believe that thing would stop? It was caged, but its presence never could or would be. Everyone thought Loomis was mad, but he was right.”

 

✳✳✳

 

_September 29th, 1979_

Laurie looked down to the big blue-green eyes staring back at her and the chubby cheeks grinning at her. “What're you smiling at, baby?” she asked in a sing-song voice, playing with the soft brown-blonde locks on her head. The girl held Karen close to her chest, her hand supporting her bottom. “Look at those cheeks,” she chuckled, leaning down to kiss them. A laughter erupted from the baby girl and Laurie basked in it. The sound was like a symphony, and it warmed her heart to measures she never knew possible.

It had been two months since she had her daughter and in those two months, she was the happiest she'd been. Laurie was able to forget about what was wrong when she was with Karen. She was a happy girl and loved Laurie with all her heart, more so than anyone else. Even at a young age, Laurie could spot similarities to Michael. Her eyebrows were thicker and brown, and her eyes were exact mirrors of his. The girl couldn't ever look at them without feeling as if she were looking directly into the boy's gaze. In August, she focused on getting her classes planned while her parents and Aunt arranged everything for October to be the start of her university enrollment. She had to visit both Marion and Loomis before she took off, however. They hadn't met Karen yet because Laurie was focused on both moving away and spending time with her daughter before she had to share her with the world. But the time had come to visit them.

Suddenly, a gasp sounded from the hall followed by the clicking of heels. “Laurie,” Marion called out happily, walking toward her with her eyes glued to the smaller life in the girl's arms. “Well, look at this cutie.” She excitedly leaned down to face the baby who tightly hung to her mother's shirt. “You must be Karen, huh?” Chambers cooed, taken aback by the resemblance of both her mom and dad.

“That's her,” Laurie chuckled, patting the girl's back. “She's about the cutest I know.”

Marion gingerly ran her thumb along the soft brown hairs atop the infant's head and felt her heart warm upon the sight of Karen contently resting against Laurie. The nurse stood and gave a smile. “Follow me, Loomis has been waiting to see you for the past decade,” she joked. They weren't at Smith's Grove, but another facility affiliated with the sanitarium. Both Marion and Loomis decided it was best they stay away from a triggering environment for the girl, one that put her close to Michael. The nurse walked to a narrow door and motioned for Laurie to follow. Once she entered, Chambers shut the door, making sure no one followed.

Laurie walked in with the slightest bit of hesitance, not because she was scared, but because she still didn't know how to feel about Doctor Loomis. She agreed what existed in Michael was pure evil, but that didn't make his very being pure evil, and she had the evidence in her arms.

Karen never tore her gaze from Marion, but once they entered, she turned her head to see a man with cold eyes, making her hold onto Laurie a bit tighter.

Loomis looked forward in amazement at the child. It was odd to see the embodiment of Michael and Laurie before him; a mix of evil and mundane. He leaned forward in his seat. “Hello, Miss Strode, take a seat.” The man motioned to the chair across from him and refocused his attention to the baby. It startled him. Those were the same eyes he'd seen for years; the only difference was these held emotion and innocence. “I presume things are going well?”

Laurie gave a slight smile and nodded, adjusting herself in her seat. “Of course, Doctor.” She hoped she wasn't lying, because as happy as she was, she still felt doom coming her way. The teen knew not when, but she could only hope she was wrong.

“Well congratulations, Miss Strode. On college and your child. How have your,” he paused, “home supports been?” Loomis wouldn't let it go, not until the day he died. Her coping seemed too good to be true.

The girl bit her lip and focused on her daughter resting her head on her chest. “Fine. They're fine.” She failed to ever mention the disappointment of her parents, and the forcing of school upon her among others. They helped her, though, so Laurie felt she couldn't complain.

The doctor's icy eyes look to her, then to Marion. “Chambers, could you grab me my notes?”

Once the woman handed him a pen and paper, she looked to Laurie, finding uneasiness in her face. It was obvious she was coping. That mountain would build, but it would eventually fall.

Loomis let out a deep sigh and, unbeknownst to Laurie, began to scribble his diagnosis of her state. “How well would you say you're taking eleven months ago?”

The teen held the back of Karen's head and her heart raced. It was one thing to remember the good, but the bad? Laurie wanted to ignore it existed. “I'm taking it. I-I don't think about it,” the girl stuttered, hating that the man in front of her knew how to look into her being so effortlessly.

“Laurie, I am looking for the truth and nothing but. Now, how well would you say you're taking eleven months ago?" he inquired, though much firmer. Her lies were as obvious as her pain.

Marion gulped at the tension. She could only imagine what the girl felt. “Laurie, would you like me to take her for the moment?” The woman motioned to the baby, who Laurie seemed to be shielding herself from Loomis.

The girl shifted her attention from Loomis to Marion. Laurie looked to the now sleeping baby glued to her form. “Sure.” Laurie didn't want Karen to hear much, even if she'd never remember it. It was hard to hand her over to Chambers, but she trusted the woman. Laurie's eyes never left her until she was out of the room. The girl then tapped her foot against the floor and thought of an answer, one that didn't seem like a lie. “I've thought about it. I was scared for a bit, about being a mom, him, but I'm fine now. I'd like to move on.” Laurie shot a pleading look to the man, wanting nothing more than to run away from her problems.

His hand removed itself from the pad of paper and he looked to Laurie in alarm. “Have you been taking care of yourself? Physically? Emotionally?” The teen could hide from her emotional dilemmas, but it was obvious she was sleep-deprived and had even lost weight fairly quick. The Doctor knew Laurie was growing unhealthy and that Karen undoubtedly paid physically for her mother’s trauma. He felt obliged to follow her and the spawn of his patient.

“I'm fine, Doctor. If something was wrong, I'd tell you,” Laurie painfully pleaded. Loomis knew she wouldn't have, though.

“I've done work with plenty of ill people in my career, Miss Strode. Don't think that the mere label of sanity deters me from finding mania in the minds of others.”

Laurie shook her head, and she tried to hone out the penetrating words. “I said I'm fine. I've got a plan and my daughter will be with me. Thank you, for everything, but I just—I just can't continue to think about it. I want to forget.” She looked to Loomis, a hot tear forming in her eye. “ _Please_ , just let me forget.”

The doctor just stared, wondering when or if she'd ever help herself. “Ignorance isn't always bliss, Miss Strode. You need to listen to me—”

“I did! I did, okay? I'm sorry I never listened when I should have, I believe you, but I just want to remember him...not that thing,” she lashed back. Laurie licked her bottom lip and looked down in embarrassment. “I believe in evil, Doctor, but I believe in Michael as well. He was suffering, and I couldn't save him.” She stood. “If you think that guilt doesn't bother me every day, you're wrong. You're terribly wrong.” Laurie wiped a tear from her eye and walked away from the table, not daring to look back. She left the door and went to Chambers, who was calmly rocking Karen in her arms. Laurie sniffled, but was able to manage a smile. At least she had Karen, always.

“She's got her father's eyes,” Marion stated warmly. The woman gently handed Laurie the sleeping girl, but she woke upon seeing her mother's face.

“Yeah, I know,” Laurie gave a sad chuckle, a tear rolling down her cheek. She was expecting the girl to give her a smile or laugh, but Karen looked up to her mom as if she were in pain upon seeing hers.

“Will you be alright?” Marion whispered, her hand resting on Laurie's shoulder.

Strode nodded. “We'll make it just fine.” If her problems were to come back, she'd just keep running, running so far, she'd never be caught.

But no one can run forever without becoming victim to their own exhaustion.

 

✳✳✳

 

Loomis found himself walking down a darkened hallway, going past many rooms until he stood in front of the one. _A-2201._ He listened to his own breathing for minutes, then finally decided to enter. And there he sat. His curly brunette locks faced the doctor and he sat gazing out the window, without even the subtlest of movement. Doctor Loomis couldn't tell what Michael was feeling, if he was feeling. The Doctor thought back to the beaming eyes he'd seen today and the life that was Michael’s, but he didn't know existed. The man thought back to Laurie Strode and her tears, the obvious trauma and pending breaking point. All because of the emotionless figure before of him.

“You're not who I thought you were, Michael.” He stepped forward and looked to the side of his face, gazing at his now damaged eye. The boy didn't scare him, but Loomis knew what he was capable of. “I hope you regret doing what you did to her. You loved her, let her go places you'd never allowed anyone to go, but when she tried to spare you, you let evil consume you. I don't know which I'm speaking to—Michael or evil—but I do know you hurt her. She cared about you.” He shook his head and backed away from the immobile figure. “You will do it again, and I hope to stop you myself.”

Michael had the choice of being a man or a monster. He chose the monster.


	20. Off the Deep End

**_“You went to University and got through the first year alright._** Your Aunt helped you with your daughter, you were able to focus away from home, but the second year comes around and suddenly things don't feel so great anymore. You lose interest in your studies and begin to dwell on what happened, the mistakes you made. When you slept, you had night terrors; terrors so bad your skin crawled, and you had to take drugs just to escape it. You dove deep into an eating disorder that started predominantly after you had Karen. Life kept falling apart and your Aunt and Uncle tried to intervene, but you couldn't stop.” The officer shook his head in disbelief, almost tempted to stop interrogating her, but he'd come too far to stop. Laurie Strode couldn't keep running; forty years was too long. “Why would you do that? With a little girl who needed you so desperately?”

Laurie sighed and rubbed her temples, not wanting to explain herself or remember the state she'd been in. Every night she thought of Michael and her daughter, their daughter, but they didn't save her from any trauma. She was scarred both emotionally and physically. “I loved her with all my heart, but I couldn't face her knowing what I did. Her eyes were like her father's and I couldn't think of a way to ever face those same eyes and tell her who Michael was to her. I wanted to find the happiness I had before it all, but I was friendless and had to drug myself just to sleep.” She paused. “I lost thirty pounds and refused to eat, I felt too sick. If I couldn't control how I felt, at least I could control something else. I got calls from Loomis, calls of concern every few months, but I made it clear I didn't want to see him. I didn't want him telling me what to do with my life.” It was an uncomfortable memory. She didn't want to remember. She feared collapsing again.

“Did you ever think of visiting Michael? Ever telling him about his daughter?”

“No,” she replied defensively. “I didn't want to remember anything any longer. You thought of the good things and you'd miss them, try to bend reality to make it happier. Then you'd think of the bad things, and it made you want to curl up and rot away until you couldn't think of it anymore.” Laurie looked to Barker and her bottom lip trembled, wondering when she'd be able to leave the room. “I was afraid of seeing him because he was a reminder of the night, but I-I still loved him,” she swiftly wiped away a scorching tear and tried not to make emotional attachments to the past but was failing. “I knew I'd be too heartbroken to see the face I fell in love with as an emotionless abyss, and to me of all people. I could accept he shut the world out, but I couldn't accept him shutting me out.”

Suddenly, the officer became intrigued. “You mean to say you never visited Michael? Never said a word to him after your final goodbye?” When the woman nodded, he leaned back and gave a grim chuckle. “So, you never even knew if he would or wouldn't talk to you again?”

The older woman was reminded of the two English journalists who had asked the same question. The two knew, and they wanted her to speak to him. Laurie wasn't some form of entertainment, so what made everybody think she'd face him again for their enjoyment? “I knew what the answer would be. He wanted me dead, followed me and hurt my friends.” The memory of herself in the small closet came flooding in and her breath hitched. When she told Tommy and Lindsey to get help and she innocently walked away, only to be grabbed by the masked boy. As she ran out of air, and her hands ripped the terrifying mask from his face. “If he still loved me, he never would have done this. Any of it.”

“You never really believed in love after him, did you? You damn well tried, but it all failed.” The sheriff gave a grim snigger, feeling as if there were still something uncovered. “You want to know what I think, Miss Strode? I think you and Michael were just hurt kids, hurt kids that still craved each other in some way, any way, sick and twisted as it all was.”

“I know what I felt! Michael was everything but human after that night. You have all the proof you need.” She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling insecure. So many times, the boy's smile played on repeat in her head. She could still feel every touch and kiss, as they were engraved in her mind.

“Let's talk about your first husband, John. You met him in college, and thought he was the answer to everything. You two discussed moving back to Haddonfield together after your marriage and bought a home together, but before you’d moved in, your parents died in a car wreck. December of 1984 was a harrowing time for you both, I presume.”

 

✳✳✳

 

Laurie woke up to the ringing of a phone and she turned over, picking up the piece groggily. “Hello?” Her legs curled up and she listened to the man on the phone, who had asked her if she was Laurie Strode. She anxiously replied and awaited the occasion for such an unforeseen call.

“I have no easy way of telling you this, Miss Strode, but both Morgan and Pamela Strode passed earlier this morning in a car wreck. Their car was struck at an intersection. Both were hospitalized at Haddonfield Memorial a few hours ago, but neither made it. I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Strode.”

The girl's eyes widened, and a hand went to cover her mouth. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach and, in a bout of panic, she threw herself off the bed and stood. “Thank you,” she cut the caller off, then slammed the phone down, proceeding to run to the bathroom. Laurie erratically inhaled as her heart rate increased, and she promised herself to not lose control. Her hands desperately moved to the mirror and swung it open, grabbing two orange pill bottles that were near empty despite being purchased mere days ago. The woman grabbed a small paper cup and ran the faucet until cool water came out. Her hand scooped up a combo of both tablets and she swiftly inserted them into her mouth, swallowing them before she could feel any culpability. Laurie shut her eyes and banged the counter, trying desperately not to let one tear escape, and when she opened her eyes, she saw herself for who she truly was.

There stood a pale, frail girl with the saddest face and sunken cheekbones. Her eyes exhibited fatigue and nothing but a want to perish, to leave everything she knew for something else. Her once alive golden locks were thin and damaged, like her figure.

“Laurie,” a deep voice sounded next to her.

The woman looked to her right and jumped back before apprehending it was only her husband.

“What did you just take?” the man brashly requested, walking toward her shaking form. He looked to the open pill bottles on the counter and grabbed them, inspecting the names. Oxycontin and Valium.

“It's nothing, John. I-I just need to go now.” She shook, backing away from the man she wished wouldn't have witnessed her filthy habit. Laurie watched a miserable guise fill his features and she bit her lip. She had lied to him about being sober for months and all to spare him, for she couldn't fight her own demons. “I'm sorry.” Her eyes went to his. Laurie's throat felt pained and her eyes yearned for the warmth of even a single tear.

John looked to her and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. “I thought you stopped this. You told me you were going to stop this for Karen, for you.” She was a beautiful woman, a striking woman, but she was ill, and it had taken him a while to realize it. John took a step forward and put a hand to her cheek, his thumb grazing it softly. He'd never seen such a terrified look in his wife's eyes. “What happened, Laurie?”

She gulped. “My parents. They passed away this morning. I never even told them goodbye...” The woman felt herself embraced and she hugged the brunette back with all her strength. Her eyes closed, and she couldn't help but imagine it being Michael embracing her. Whenever Laurie wanted to feel even a single moment of contentment, she took solace in Michael, and imagined he was still with her. She was a wonderful liar. Laurie lied to herself all the time, but she still ended up in the desolate place she started from. When she woke up, the reality was Michael, the person, didn't exist, and she'd never find him again.

“They knew you loved them, and they loved you...” he trailed, hating the sound of her sobs. John heard them continually, whether she knew it or not. There were many nights he clandestinely watched his wife put Karen to bed. Once the girl slept, Laurie spoke about Michael, how she loved him, how she longed for him. The man wasn't a fool, he knew well Laurie wanted Michael more than anything else, and chose to ignore the truth, as the truth hurt. When they began dating, Laurie never mentioned her past, but she quickly had to. It’d been such a pivotal event in her life, and John realized she was a suffering victim. He was saddened by watching his wife struggle with drinking, drugs, and her erratic eating habits, all of which he tried to correct, but was continuously faced with her refusal to believe she had a problem. Karen was only one, not even, when he’d met her, but he always felt guilt knowing he lied to the girl. Laurie made him tell Karen he was her father, and she fully believed it, never even questioned it. John didn't support the decision, but it was one he had to follow along with in order to keep the smallest bits of Laurie's sanity intact.

“I'll get the car ready, take your time,” he spoke softly. John kissed her forehead and left the bathroom, hastily getting dressed and going downstairs. He hesitantly walked into the dark hallway and to ‘his’ daughter's door, which was pink and covered with her crayon drawings. The man loved the girl, yet he couldn't justify her not knowing her true parentage. With a sigh, he entered the room and made it to the white frame of her princess-themed bed. John smiled at the sleeping face. “Karen, honey, wake up,” he cooed, moving a piece of her long, dark blonde hair to the side. He knew her hair was truly brown, but Laurie always let her sit in the sun until it lightened. Karen liked doing it because it meant being blonde like her mother, but something told him Laurie wanted the girl to look less like her father. Another escape mechanism.

“Daddy?” she groaned, moving her head to look up to his green eyes. Her small hands grabbed her stuffed bear and she held it to her chest tightly. Karen’s eyes were weighed down by fatigue, but she never closed them.

“Mommy's upstairs getting ready to go, we're going back to her home today. We gotta get ready to leave soon.” He frowned upon hearing her yawn. “I know, sweetie, I'm sorry. She's not feeling too well.” The man wished he could’ve let her stay home, but it was her grandparents, and she was going to have to find out.

The girl slowly sat, and her hair fell below her ribs. “Is she okay?” Her voice was soft, young, full of emotion.

John gave a weak smile and picked her up, sitting Karen in his lap. “She's going to be fine. She just needs to visit grandma and grandpa today.” He felt the girl lean against his chest and he laid a hand on her soft locks, rocking her in silence. Within a few moments, Laurie stood in the doorway and smiled at the two before turning on a dim light.

“Good morning, baby,” the woman called out softly, walking toward the small bed. It was obvious she had been crying. “I can take care of her, John.” She sat on the bed and Karen immediately crawled out of the man's lap and into her mom's. Laurie threw John the keys to the car and he walked out of the room, leaving the two.

“Mommy, why are you crying?” Karen looked up to her mom and her green eyes pierced Laurie's blue, just as Michael's had.

Laurie smiled and leaned down, placing her forehead to her daughter's. “A lot of things, baby, but I'm going to be just fine.” She wrapped her arms around the girl and Karen hugged back with all her might.

“I love you,” the girl pleaded sweetly, her grip tightening. Karen rested her head on Laurie's chest and attempted to comfort her.

“I love you, too.” Laurie shut her eyes. Her lips pecked her daughter's cheek and she rested her head on top of her’s. She loved Karen, but she feared she couldn't stay strong for her.

 

✳✳✳

 

“The divorce came the next year and you got the house. You drugged your pain away and Karen began to grow closer to John. When she needed you, you were strung out or away from home, trying to escape. John wanted Karen to know the truth and he tried to get you the help you needed, but nothing changed. He decided to leave.” Barker flipped a page. “This was a turning point in your role as a mother and partner. Can you recall that night specifically?”

She could, and all too well.

 

✳✳✳

 

_December 17th, 1985_

 

“Laurie Strode, look me in the eyes and tell me you need to change. You need to tell your daughter, and you need to get help,” John begged, his cheeks damp with tears.

She didn't look, she could only stare at the beige mattress of the bed, deep in her own thoughts. Laurie had woken up that evening with a headache and a concerned husband, unaware she had passed out from an overdose that morning.

“I want to help you, I have wanted to for the five years I've known you, but you won't let me in.” He shook his head. “You can't keep doing this to your daughter, she needs you. What am I supposed to keep telling her when she asks for you and you're unable to function?” The man placed both hands on his wife's shoulders, gently shaking her so she'd acknowledge him.

Laurie shook her head and closed her eyes, too tired to think of something to say. “I-I'm fine.”

John let another tear slip, and he licked his bottom lip. She was in denial, and deeply so. “If that were the truth, we wouldn't be here.” He looked away, wondering if he should address what had hung over their whole marriage. “Laurie, I can't keep lying to Karen. I'm not her father, her father is Michael Myers. Please stop running from it.”

The woman looked to him for the first time that night. Her heart sank at the fact. “You think I don't know that?” Laurie moved her shoulders, so his hands would fall off her, and she scoffed. “How are you supposed to tell your daughter her own father is a murderer!? Someone who is incapable of feeling anything! Am I supposed to tell her daddy tried to kill mommy, and daddy will never be there for you?” She pulled herself off the bed and walked to the window, aggressively pulling it open for fresh air.

“Laurie, I know you think about him every single day. I hear you talk to your sleeping daughter about him. I hear you cry every day, I hear you dream about him. You think you can tell everyone you're fine when you're falling apart!” he raged, inching toward her. “I know you still love him, but seven years ago was seven years ago.”

A silence encompassed the two.

“Tell me now that you will try to help yourself,” he let out a pained breath, “or I walk out that door.” He took another step forward. “Tell me you won't keep lying to your daughter, or I will walk out that door.”

Laurie made a small noise and put her hands in her hair, gently pulling it out. A pressure built in her head and she let a tear fall. She was mad because he was right, because he knew her all too well. She didn't want to hear it, and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of an answer.

He gave her a few moments before he finally hung his head down in defeat. “I hope you get yourself the help you need one day, and I hope you come to terms with Michael, in person, for your own sanity.” John walked toward the door, his heart breaking at the ruin of the woman. He didn't want to do it, but he couldn't live this way, and he hoped she saw she couldn't either. “I'm going to go downstairs to tell Karen goodbye and once I'm gone, I hope you are able to take care of her without a pill. When I leave, you are her sole guardian—no me, no anyone to parent her and do your job for you. She's your daughter, Laurie. That's a commitment you should have made the second she was born.”

Laurie moved her hands down to her face and she let out a sob, but she didn't stop him. She couldn't face it, like she couldn't face her past. What could she do when she was alone? She wasn't comfortable with herself. One thing was clear, though: Karen needed protection. Her daughter couldn't just sit in a cruel world that Michael could reach her in. It was a commitment to be a mom, but a bigger one to be a protector.


	21. Fleeting Peace of Mind

**_October 16th, 1987_ **

 

“Mom, what are you doing?” Karen asked modestly, taking a bite of her cereal as her mom dragged an array of locks and mannequins into the living room.

Laurie pulled a stray hair behind her ear and apprehensively laid a rifle to the side. For the past couple years, she had been preparing because paranoia had finally manifested itself. She forbade her daughter from going to school and became stricter in disposition. Laurie accepted she wasn't the perfect mother, but Michael was going to come for her whether he knew Karen was his daughter or not.

“Preparing, baby. He's going to come for us if we don't.”

Karen gulped and pushed her bowl to the side, losing her appetite. She felt alone, very alone since John left. The night he’d said goodbye changed her mom, and every second after was terror. The girl couldn't question her mom without anxiety following, and she always worried for her safety. Her mom suddenly told her stories about her friends being killed and her being hunted. Karen remembered the name because she’d whispered it to her every single day. _Michael Myers_ , she'd tell her, _will come for us and we need to be ready_. “I don't want to go into the basement,” she pleaded.

Laurie looked down, disliking the genuine fear she heard. Karen hated the basement because she made her mop the floor, reorganize her rifles and handguns, and create traps whilst breathing the stale air. Karen couldn't sleep thinking about what she had to do next, but Laurie couldn't stop.

The woman had finally gotten to the point where she didn't need her eating disorder to function, and drugs became a smaller factor in her life, but drinking now became a way to ease her pain. Every day she slammed a drink just to cope, but she had to keep herself from doing much harm because she was the only one there for Karen. “You won't. Not today at least. I'm going to teach you something new.” She looked to a rifle and licked her bottom lip. There were times she regretted it, all of it, but it was for her own good.

Karen stood and scooped her now short locks, for her mother didn't even allow her the normality of keeping her hair long and curled. She cowered and felt anxiety well in her stomach. She hated living like this. Every day it was the same: wake up, prepare for the worst, and stay awake until you could no longer. It was devastating, and she began to see her mom as a person, not a savior. Karen saw her weaknesses, but she was a scared girl herself. She didn't want to meet the boogeyman, she just wanted a normal life.

Laurie walked to the counter where her daughter stood in fear. “You're going to learn to shoot. By the end of the week, I need you to hit some of your targets. We'll start with a handgun, then move to a rifle.” Her daughter made a noise and backed away. The woman leaned down coldly. “Baby, we need to. I won't make you go into the basement if you just listen.”

“Mom, I don't want to,” she pleaded. She'd watched as her mother stood, gun in hand, shooting every mannequin's head straight off. Karen hated the ripping sounds that followed and the hatred in her eyes.

“Karen, honey, get your shoes on. It's time you learned. The boogeyman is real, and he is going to get you if you don't know how,” she replied plainly. Laurie watched as the girl grabbed her sneakers and hesitantly followed her out to the open woods behind the house.

The girl knew a lot, but that knowledge never helped her escape her fears. Her mom taught her to read, taught her basic education, but she was more Michael Myers prepared than life prepared. Karen could make a trap, kick-box a mannequin until she fell over in exhaustion, and even prepare for the worst of scenarios, but she didn't have any friends. She didn't know what was normal and she lived in fear of her mother and what she taught her. She was forced to look at the world as a treacherous place full of evil.

Laurie shut the door behind her and walked to a target she had set up in the middle of the dead grass. She gently grabbed Karen's shoulders and kneeled, stretching her arm with the deadly device, shaking as she did it. “Take the gun.”

Karen closed her eyes. It was at times like these she didn't know who her mom was. She considered why she did this to her. She wanted to run away from Laurie and be a normal kid, like the ones she saw on TV, the ones she read about. They didn't have to learn to kill. “No.”

Laurie bit her lip.  _How paradoxical_ , she thought,  _a killer's daughter not wanting to kill even an inanimate thing_. As the years passed, so did her happy memories of Michael. She was sick of missing them, so she tried to ignore them. She lost track of the good and resorted to the bad, the actions of the evil within him. The woman filled her mind with thoughts of killing Michael and leaving him forever. Her biggest fear, however, was killing him but still being left with the emptiness she felt. “Karen, take the gun.”

The girl shook and reached for her mom's hand, taking a full minute before her fingers ever touched the weapon. “I can't,” she choked out, but before she could remove her hand, Laurie made her hand grab it.

“Put your hand around the handle,” Laurie spoke sternly, watching as her smaller fingers wrapped around it hesitantly. “Now I want you to hold your arms out and hold the other hand.”

She obeyed.

“Aim. Aim with your eye and pull the trigger.” Laurie pointed to the dirty plastic head and watched as Karen's movements become clumsy.

Karen's lips trembled and she closed an eye, mimicking what she’d seen her mom do. She put a finger to the trigger and her heart thumped, but no matter how hard she tried to press it, she couldn't. “Mom—Mom I'm scared,” the girl blurted, shaking so hard she couldn't aim.

Laurie set a knee on the hard ground and leaned forward, once more placing her hands on the girl's small shoulders. She leaned forward and whispered. “The boogeyman is in front of you. He wants to kill you. If you don't shoot him, he'll keep following you. _Forever_.”

Karen's eyes began to water, and she sniffled. Her arms stiffened, and the gun felt cold and dense in her hands. She closed one eye and laid a finger on the trigger and as she pressed firmly, a tear fell. Her hands moved as the shot ripped from the gun and hit near the target. Karen shut both eyes as the shot rang in her ear, praying to God she'd escape this. She didn't want to kill, she didn't want to live in fear.

 

✳✳✳

 

“Months later, you get a call from Doctor Loomis. You'd been ignoring him a long time, but this time he was adamant you visited and brought Karen with you. He knew you were avoiding him, and he grew suspicious,” Barker's deep voice echoed. “He gave you a warning, but you never listened.”

Laurie glared. “I thought what I was doing was right. Could you blame me? For what I experienced, for who she was?”

The man shook his head. “No matter what hell I went through, I never would have done what you had. A kid's life is a kid's life. They need happiness, not hysteria.”

 

✳✳✳

 

_March 21st, 1988_

“I would like you to diagnose these high-yield cases with references. There are over sixty to work through, all in USMLE. Approach these clinical predicaments with an open mind. There are similar disorders, tie the physical to the mental if need be. Now, I have a meeting with an old friend, Ranbir. We will continue later.” Doctor Loomis abruptly ended the conversation and turned away. He'd just finished speaking with one of his highest-achieving pupils, one that joined his practice in 1979 and never left. He thought that would be the end, but Ranbir spoke.

“Laurie Strode?” he asked eagerly, hanging onto his notes. An excitement arose in him, as he knew well his teacher's patient and what happened. It was the sole reason he chose to be a pupil of Loomis’. He'd never openly say it, however. There was such an interest he held in the story of Michael Myers, and he needed to know more.

“I don't want you involved, Mister Sartain. Keep away from my affairs,” he scolded, then walked away from his pupil. A student who seemed far too interested in Michael Myers and Laurie Strode. He wouldn't tell him the truth, even with his probing.

“My apologies,” Sartain muttered under his breath. The man ran a hand through his brunette hair, though remained undeterred. His mustache twitched upon the thought of going through his mentor’s locked-up files. He wanted so badly to know more.

Loomis walked out the door and into the hallway, making his way to the main entrance. Once he reached it, he instantly noticed Laurie and the young girl. Laurie looked awful, tired, and paranoid. He shifted his gaze to the girl, then knew something was gravely wrong. She looked petrified as she stood with her mom. Last time Loomis saw her she was about four years old and, in contrast, looked much happier. The girl's hair hung down to her chest in curls and a wide smile was plastered to her face. Now, her hair was short, plain, and there were no signs of happiness. It scared the man because he knew that look, that same emotionless look he saw on Michael every day.

“Miss Strode, if you and your daughter would follow me.” The Doctor motioned her to follow. As they followed, he entered a small office and closed the door once both were in. “Please sit.”

Laurie moved to a chair and sat Karen down, conjecturing what the man needed and why he needed her daughter to be there. She watched as he opened a pad of paper and gulped. “What is it that you need?”

Doctor Loomis sighed and sat. “I could ask you the same thing.” He looked to Karen and back to her, wondering how Laurie could have thought this alright. Michael wouldn't stop, but he’d promised Laurie years ago he'd never let a thing happen so long as he lived. It was his job to look over his former patient and Laurie's job to live a normal life with her daughter. “How are you coping?” he paused, “Are you coping?”

Laurie shook her head and looked to her daughter, not wanting Loomis to slip. “I'm doing just fine, it was never your job to judge anyway.”

Loomis halted and his eyes held a newfound intensity. Had the younger not been in the room, he would have raged. How could Laurie say it with a straight face? “It was my job the second you entered my patient's life. Now I made you a promise. Take my help before it's too late.” The man leaned to the side, rubbing his temples. She was worse off than he'd thought.

“Fine.” Laurie stared, putting a hand on Karen's shoulder.

“I'm sorry about your parents and the divorce. Has it been hard to balance that with home life?” Loomis knew well she had struggled with an eating disorder and abused many drugs, but that was a subject not to bring up in front of the girl.

“What do you think?” She shook her head. “My home life shouldn't be any of your concern.” The woman wanted to forget, but no one would let her. Why wouldn't anyone let her? It hurt, and she wasn't in the mood to confront it.

The doctor nodded, realizing he was going nowhere. “I'm going to ask you to leave. I need to speak to Karen privately. She will be back with you before you know it.”

Laurie looked to Loomis in abhorrence, then back to Karen. She kneeled forward and kissed her forehead. “I love you, baby. I'll be back.” Once her daughter nodded, she left, not having the strength to question the Doctor.

Doctor Loomis watched as the door closed and he felt a weight off his chest. He looked to the frightened girl in front of him and gave a weak smile. She looked just like Michael, even more so with the blank face. Karen couldn't fall into this hole. “Hello, Karen, we've met before, if you recall,” he spoke softly, as if she were fragile china that would break upon the slightest touch.

The girl nodded and nervously swung her feet back and forth, very briefly remembering the man. Karen always remembered his icy glare and he made her uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as her own mother.

“I'm just going to ask you a few questions, is that alright?” When Loomis saw her nod he scribbled, getting a sense of deja-vu from Halloween night. “Are you happy with your mother? Has she changed within the past few years?” But there was still fear in her eyes. “I'm here to help, I promise you, there will be no harm in telling the truth.”

Karen nodded and her fingers played with the fabric of her jacket. She thought of her mom and if she'd be infuriated at her, but she craved respite. “My mom scares me. I-I miss my dad. When he was here, she wasn't like this.”

Loomis was relieved to hear her delicate voice and he nodded, expecting the answer, but what he didn't expect was her ‘dad.’ “Are you talking about John, darling?” When there was a nod, he made a note in the pad of paper. “Karen, how does your mom scare you?”

The girl looked to the door, not wanting her to hear. “She makes me do things I don't want to do.”

Loomis' brow raised and he grew concerned. “What does she make you do? Can you tell me?”

Karen bit her lip and shrugged, attempting to channel her trust into the Doctor and not her mother. “She makes me shoot rifles, guns. I kick-box every morning and mop the basement. I don't like the basement. I have to clean the guns and make traps.” The girl looked to the now terrified man. “She doesn't like when I say no.”

It came as a surprise. The man never knew Laurie's paranoia could reach such a level and he recognized it was a problem, one that needed to be fixed instantly or it would have unforgiving consequences. “And why don't you say no? What would you do if you didn't have to do any of that?”

The brunette gave a hum and laid her head on a knee. If only she could do what she wanted. “I don't like hurting anyone, I don't like shooting mannequins all day, and I don't want to fight. I want to meet other people. I want to play sports, go to school,” she frowned, “I'd like a friend or two.”

Doctor Loomis's heart nearly split at the sight, and he leaned back, feeling awful for the girl. She may have been the daughter of his patient, but she had the heart of both Laurie and the Michael that had died years ago. She felt emotions intensely and as a child, she had a right to. “Sweetheart, you aren't wrong for feeling that way. You need friends for support, and you need education to thrive.” Loomis gave a small smile, shocking himself by his own sensitivity toward the girl. “No one should want to hurt anyone. Your mother is just scared.” He stood and made his way to the girl, leaning down on one knee to face her. “She loves you, you know. I'll talk to her about getting you some friends. You shouldn't need to hurt anyone.” Loomis looked to the girl, who was nodding with an eager smile upon her face. He stood, about to leave, but as he did, the girl desperately thanked him. Karen's eyes told him she had hope she'd leave the situation she was in. “I'll be right back, you stay here.” The Doctor walked out the door and into the hall where Laurie stood. He promptly made his way to her.

Laurie stared at the man in vexation and leaned against the cold wall. She expected him to yell at her, to tell her everything she did wrong to Karen and her life, but he didn't. The woman expected to hear him say she needed help, and that she needed to face what happened a decade ago. But he didn't.

“Laurie,” he spoke deeply, sincerely. He made a step forward and forced her to look him in the eyes. “You think you're doing right by her, but I need you to listen, even if you don't want to. If you don't change, you _are_ going to lose her. I beg you, stop and evaluate what you are doing.” He backed away. “I see Michael every day, and I promise I won't give up on protecting you or your daughter, but you need to stop.”

Laurie closed her eyes and exhaled. Her limbs shook as she considered his words, and a tear fell, still unable to challenge her past or the demolition of her own daughter. She wished she could change, but she needed to protect Karen.

“She is going down the same path as her father if you keep doing this. She has that blank stare I see all the time. Karen doesn't want this, and I hope somewhere inside, you feel the same.” Loomis motioned to the door. “Now, she is sitting in there hoping to have friends, a real life. Don't let her become Michael.” The man gulped. He didn't know much, though he knew enough. “The Michael you knew would’ve felt the same.”

Laurie held a hand to her mouth to muffle her sobs and she nodded, copiously understanding. It’d been the first time in months she forced herself to think of the Michael she knew. As comforting as it was, she was still scared—scared she wouldn't be able to stop. She didn't want to lose Karen, but she was drawing close.

Sartain stood to the side, hiding himself in a hallway perpendicular to the one Laurie and his mentor were in. His eyes widened and he had to hold his breath. If he understood correctly, that was it: Laurie Strode's daughter was also Michael's. Was that the reason for everything? He felt as if he'd reached a pivotal point in a novel, and he needed more to understand the story. Loomis couldn't persuade him to stay away; he was too interested to stop.


	22. A Favor

**_November 1st, 1991_ **

 

Karen sat in her room, her fingers moving along the cold sheets of her bed. She had so much hope Loomis would save her from her mother, but nothing changed, and her paranoia and neuroses only grew. The girl didn't feel safe, not in her own home, not anywhere. She stared blankly at the dolls laying on her floor, even if they couldn't offer any comfort.

The night prior had been Halloween, and she didn't sleep. Her mom woke her and made her carry a rifle downstairs, as well as forced her to stay there all day. Karen didn't eat, and she had no energy to cry. There was no escape and she was petrified. She felt as though her life would remain as this forever. She barely spoke or slept anymore, and any normal trait she grew with faded fast. Karen moved her numb leg and gulped, too frightened to face her mother after the traumatic night.

“I assure you, everything is fine! My daughter is just tired, and she needs to rest!” Laurie's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs.

Karen hadn't even heard a person come through the door and was taken aback to hear the shout. A man's voice followed.

“Laurie Strode, we have received complaints regarding your parenting before, and some have claimed to see your daughter shooting a gun! She is twelve years old and hasn't been to a single school! We have every right to take your daughter from you. You have put your child in mental and physical danger for the past six years!” The voice roared. The man, by law, was told not to mention Loomis sent him, as the Doctor had made it an urgent matter. He made his way toward the stairs and pushed the now crying woman off him.

“No! I won't let you take her! She needs me!” Laurie cried. She couldn't believe it, she’d never even considered a life without her daughter. If she went into the outside world, she was vulnerable, unprotected.

Karen's heart jumped at the words. She sat still and continued to look at her floor, her heart thumping louder as each step drew closer to her door. Once the door slowly opened, she moved her eyes to a man who was clad in a suit. He had on glasses and a case was in his hand, as well as a permit.

The man looked at the emotionless face staring back at him and inched forward cautiously. “Hello, Karen is it?” There was no response, however. “I'm Mr. Johnson, I'm here to help you.” The man was astounded by the darkness, the frigid air in the room, and how apparent it was she needed saving. Johnson walked toward the bed, and the wooden floor boards creaked. “How would you like to leave with me? I promise, I'll take you somewhere you'll be safe.”

Karen shivered as the man stood before her, and her mind raced. She wanted to go, she wanted to leave this life behind, but Laurie was all she knew, and how would she feel if she left? The man reminded her of Loomis, and she looked to him. Doctor Loomis was a helpful man, so he must've been as well. She trusted Loomis, as he wanted her to have a better life, and whenever she saw him, she felt safe from her mom, even if it was for just a moment.

“This your doll?” he asked softly, kneeling to pick it up. When Karen nodded, so did he, assured that he was getting somewhere. “You can take her with you, you can take anything you want with you. We can get you more if you'd like. There are plenty of girls that would play with you.”

Karen's eyes widened. It sounded like paradise, but what if it was too good to be true? “Will I be safe,” she whispered, “from the boogeyman?”

Johnson gave a frown and nodded. “You'll be safe. We'll get you back into the world, going to school, and making friends. Would you like that?” He kneeled. “Would you like to take off with me? You'll be able to see your mom again, I promise.”

But she didn't want to see her again. Karen didn't want to look back if she could escape. “I want to go,” she begged, a tear of joy falling down her cheek. Karen had prayed for so long for escape, and now, just as she was about to lose faith, she was saved. A hand was held in front of her and she took it, her hand nervously shaking.

“Let's go, then. Do you want to take your doll with you?”

She stared at it, then hesitantly nodded. It was about the only thing she owned that contained good memories of her mom, when she was with John. He told her to grab her jacket and as she did so, he gathered any clothing or necessities she wanted to keep. Within a matter of an hour, they were ready to leave, and Johnson left her to give a final goodbye to her mom.

“Five minutes, Strode, then she's mine.” He shut the door and impatiently waited on the porch.

Laurie nodded, barely able to see through the tears in her eyes. She looked to her daughter and a deep sadness filled her. Karen was all she had, and now she’d lost her, just as she’d lost everyone else. The woman kneeled and placed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I'm sorry, baby,” she cried, flooded with memories of when she was born and the happier times they’d had. Laurie was given a chance to change, but she couldn't. “I'm so sorry it came to this. I never wanted to hurt you, Karen.”

The girl nodded, though not believing a word her mother said. She felt herself embraced, and Karen only loosely returned it, feeling burdened by the touch. They stood for five minutes, Laurie sobbing and apologizing, and Karen blankly staring. She wished she could feel something, but she was through with her mom's torment and paranoia. “Bye, mom.”

Johnson reentered the door and Laurie looked to him in disdain. “Time's up. I'll call you about visits, custody, et cetera.” When Karen moved from her mom, the man walked her to the door and out of the large, vacant home. He opened the car door for her and led her to the next chapter of her life while Laurie entered the darkest chapter of hers.

 

✳✳✳

 

“Loomis wanted you to listen, but you couldn't. He kept in touch with you and your daughter until his death: February 2nd, 1995. He died of congestive heart failure, and his dying wish was to terminate Michael, just so he knew you and Karen would be safe. He never got the satisfaction of knowing his patient would be terminated, and he left this world with concern. Both you and your daughter visited him before he passed. Do you recall what he’d said to you both?”

 

✳✳✳

 

_January 31st, 1995_

 

Loomis looked to the cieling and thought of the future. His future was closing in on him, but his didn't matter as much as the Strode’s. The man didn't want to leave a world where Michael Myers still stood, as the monster within knew Laurie, and would undoubtedly know the product of their former love. It was never his intent to separate Laurie or her daughter, but Karen made the decision of cutting her mother off for herself, and she felt better for it. The doctor made Karen visit Laurie occasionally, and he often spoke to her about it. The teen brushed it off and ranted to him about Laurie being a lunatic, how she imprisoned herself in her mind. Loomis had grown close to Karen, and he made sure she was thriving, even if her mother wasn't. As far as he knew, Karen expressed interest in becoming a psychiatrist and it made him pleased. She may have been Michael's blood, but she was capable of great things.

Karen rebuilt herself out of the paranoia she’d lived with, and was successful in sports, academics, and everything thrown at her. But she, like Laurie, was a liar, and hid her past from the many friends she had.

“Sam, you've got two visitors,” Marion Chambers interrupted. She motioned to the door and there the two stood: mother and daughter. It'd been a while since the nurse last saw them, and she was aware Loomis' dying wish, if not killing Michael, was to give his final words to them.

Loomis nodded, staring at the now polar opposites. There stood a woman with sadness and fear. Her hair was slightly above her shoulders and a faded blonde, one could even see white strands in the bunch. The girl next to her stood as tall, if not taller than her, and her skin held a glow her mother's didn't. Her features were confident and graceful. The teen's skin was flawless and pale as snow, which contrasted with the darkness of her long, cocoa locks. Her lips were full and tinted a medium red, but her brows and eyes stood out the most. She wore make-up, but it wasn't tacky, as she knew how to apply it. The girl's eyelids were perfectly blended to a warm brown, and her eyelashes were liberally coated in mascara that made her green eyes pop. She was a gorgeous girl, her looks and form were model-like.

“Bring them in.”

The two entered and sat next to Loomis, opposite of each other, both upset by the man's illness and each other.

“Now, I've known you both for seventeen years,” he began, looking to Karen who arched a brow, her lashes fluttering slightly. “Believe it or not, it's true. I've known you since before you were born.” The man looked to Laurie, and her face said everything. He didn't want to leave them behind with this mess. “It wasn't my plan for this to happen, but I need you both to listen to me, before it's too late.” He reached forward to grab both Laurie and Karen's hands, holding them tightly. “If you haven't got each other then who have you got in this life?” his voice echoed. The Doctor let the dense moment persist, then he looked to Laurie. “I met you in 1978, Miss Strode, and I had great expectations of you since we met.” He turned to Karen, knowing he'd have to tell her to leave the conversation soon, as she still knew nothing of her birthfather, though he wished the girl knew. “You are a strong person, stronger than any young soul I know. You have accomplished extraordinary things, and I expect you to continue doing so, Karen.”

Karen held onto the hand tighter and a tear threatened to fall. This was her lifeline, the man that saved her and inspired her. She felt a comfort with him that she didn't with anyone else. The girl would have spoken, but she didn't want her mom to get the satisfaction of hearing her voice.

“But you must hear me, Karen. Your mother had a reason for what she did, as cruel as it was. She has gone through much in her life,” he sighed, “things you probably aren't even aware of.” Loomis gazed into her eyes and leaned forward. “She has been through the worst of times, but she still loves you. All she wants is to protect you.”

Karen looked to Laurie and gulped, trying not to believe a word he said. She didn't want to fight him, though, especially not now. “But why me? Why do I need to be protected?” She sniffled. “I wasn't the one attacked.”

Loomis clenched his throat. She needed to know some day. “She doesn't want what happened to her happening to you.” He gently let go of Karen's hand, looking to Marion expectantly. “Marion, Laurie and I need to speak privately, could you show Karen a seat in the hall please?” He'd get back to the girl, but as of now, he needed to speak to Laurie as honestly as he could, the most he’d ever had.

Karen gulped and stood, wondering why she couldn't hear. Suddenly, she felt as if she was being shut out of something huge. Did her mom really have a logical reason? What happened to her? Every day at school, people knew the name Laurie Strode, student and teachers alike. Her mom was well known, and the whole community wondered what happened to her after the attack of Halloween night. They’d asked her what happened, but she herself only knew what she saw in newspapers. She'd heard some say she was sick, but she couldn't understand why Laurie would say such a thing. Karen looked to Chambers and followed her in a haze, staring back at her mom as if she were a stranger.

Once they left and the door shut, Loomis looked to Laurie. There was a stark contrast from the time she first saw him and now, the last. “Laurie Strode, you never cease to amaze me,” he spoke lowly. The doctor never broke eye contact. “You did what I could never. Find Michael as a person, find the heart that was buried under all the evil within.”

Laurie held back her tears and she subconsciously grabbed the man's hand tighter. “But at what cost?” she choked out. “I couldn't save him. I couldn't save him, and I ruined everyone's lives. Even hers.”

“Miss Strode, life decided to give you Karen for a reason. The Michael you knew then, was not the one that killed. You of all people should know that. The only parts of that Michael I knew were from his parents and you. I had always accused him of being evil, that he was fooling everyone.” Loomis exhaled, it was too late, for he realized he'd given up on Michael much too soon. Marion had always told him he was wrong for never trying to connect and for surrendering so easily, but until Laurie, he never listened. “It's the oddest thing. Becoming so obsessed with figuring someone out, you begin to hurt them.” Loomis looked to the woman. For as weak as she appeared, she was strong. Strong for staying there for Karen and wrestling with her emotions. “He may be gone, but if he were still here, he never would have tried to hurt you.”

The blonde shook her head. “I've missed him for so long, and I-I ruined Karen because of it.” Laurie gulped. “The last time,” she stuttered, a tear falling. “The last time I saw him, I kissed him goodbye and he-he asked me if I was fine.” Laurie's voice gave out into more sobs. She'd never told the story before. “I told him I was, but he didn't believe me. He thought he hurt me, stripped me of virginity,” she paused, “but that wasn't the truth because I—I felt like that's what I had done to him.” The woman looked to Loomis's expectantly. “I kissed him and told him I was fine, like a liar. I held onto him for hours after, not letting go of him just because I didn't want to. I was mentally telling myself this was goodbye, and he must've known it too.” Laurie leaned her head down in shame, but felt a small weight lifted from her chest upon telling the man the truth. “I'm sorry I ever touched him, I ever hurt him.”

Loomis frowned, though was proud of her facing what she hadn't in years. “Don't be sorry but be thankful you were able to save him from himself for as long as you could.” After a moment of silence, he looked to his side and picked up an old polaroid picture, staring at it then back to her. “I'd meant to give you this, but I never knew when the right time would be,” he whispered. Loomis held the image out, waiting for Laurie to take it, and once she did, her eyes widened.

There was a picture of her seventeen-year-old self smiling, and a handsome brunette boy next to her with a warm smile on his face. It was unmistakably Michael. A face she hadn't seen so clearly in years. Laurie's throat constricted and a hand went to her mouth. “Where did you get this?” she choked out, gazing at the picture. She remembered the day clearly. The girl had been talking about cameras and brought her Polaroid to show him how it worked. She'd told Michael to come in the picture as her arm held the device out, he initially refused, but then was able to. He didn't want himself in any picture, but she’d convinced him he could trust her. A tear rolled down Laurie's cheek as she remembered them laughing and kissing after it was taken. It was like looking at a dead person, even if Michael's body was very much alive.

“I found it in his room after Halloween night. He'd kept it.” Doctor Loomis looked at the woman as she continued to bawl, but never ripped her gaze from the photo. “I never quite believed you until I saw that.” Loomis shook his head, remembering the countless nights he'd thought of both. “If Michael let go of what was inside, there could have been more. I'm sorry you had to go through it the way you did, the age you did.”

Laurie looked to the man in despair. “Don't leave me, Doctor, please don't leave us.” If there was one person who knew that evil, it was Loomis, and he knew how to ward it off as best he could.

The Doctor let go of her hand and watched as she pocketed the photo. “I have put in a request Michael is transferred to a high security facility, but it may be a matter of years before that happens. Until then, he will be assigned a new doctor, and I will try to follow up with the choice of who it may be. I have left specific notes for the next poor soul who must cure the incurable. I would have had him executed to put it all to rest, but people believe he is a human being.” Loomis looked to a terrified Laurie. “They will know he is not. Don't isolate yourself, Laurie, but be prepared. Because if he shall ever escape, he will come home, and he will come for you.”

 

✳✳✳

 

“So, Doctor Sartain writes to Loomis about taking Michael as his patient, but he didn't want anyone as Myers' new doctor. He wrote back to Sartain on February 1st, just one day before he passed,” Barker regurgitated the information on the sheet. He picked up the letter Loomis had written back and read it aloud.

 

 

> _“Mister Sartain,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I am aware of your interest in my patient, but I am afraid your request is not probable nor is it realistic. I'll be the first to tell you there is nothing to learn from this, any of it. You're safer pursuing a patient that will be enriching in your studies, not a case that has reached the same conclusion for years. Michael Myers' only intent is to kill. If there were anything more, I would have explored it._
> 
>  
> 
> _Doctor Loomis.”_

 

Barker scoffed. “A lie fabricated to scare him away from Michael, but it didn't work. Just a few months after he’d passed, Sartain got the state to make him his psychiatrist, and he got ahold of the files Loomis hid from him.”

Laurie leaned back in her chair. “And now you have them.”

The man's dark skin dragged against the file as he held it menacingly. “We wouldn't be here if you'd done some things differently. I want to move on to your daughter's life after she left, and Samuel Loomis passed.”

 

✳✳✳

 

_October 25th, 1997_

It was a nice autumn day in the suburb of Haddonfield, and a Friday. The kids rushed out of Haddonfield High and made plans for Halloween parties and other mischief. Two teenagers walked home together, engrossed in an animated conversation. The boy didn't live close, but followed the girl, his girlfriend, to her home.

“So that's my theory on how the Earth is flat, and I'm sticking to it,” the teen laughed and leaned against his girlfriend. “Hey how'd you like to head to Sarah Miller's party tomorrow night? She's got the whole house to herself and it may be interesting.” He smirked, his voice suggestive.

“Ray, if you think you're going to take me to some party so we can get drunk or some shit,” she paused and smirked, feeling rebellious, “then I gladly accept your challenge.” The girl twirled her curly brown hair between her fingers and chewed on a piece of gum.

“Karen, you’re a functioning addict. You do drugs everyday and drinking is a challenge?” He paused upon the girl's glare. “Okay, more like every weekend.”

“That may be true, but I'll have you know I do my homework, unlike you guys,” she chuckled. Karen held her jean-jacket and flannel closer to her form. She felt cold and didn't know if she should blame it on the anxiety she felt this time of year, or the weather. It marked the five-year anniversary of leaving her mother, and she never regretted it.

Karen quickly entered school after she left Laurie and wanted to go with John, but he never responded. It hurt her greatly to not see her ‘father’ show any care for her, but soon after, she was fostered by an older couple who couldn't conceive. Most importantly, she created a bond with Doctor Loomis who had passed two years prior. The girl felt liberated, and she savored the feeling. Loomis made her happy and free, and she wanted to make people feel the same. Karen was inspired by the man, and wanted to become a child psychologist, helping anyone who went through the traumas she did at a young age. She no longer felt alone.

Karen was smart, but she made a lot of stupid decisions, as most teens did. She held her own scars, but the most pressing issue she faced was her own drug addiction. The teen constantly kept an array of pills or other contraband drugs that even she knew could kill her if she kept abusing them. She hadn’t a reason to be unhappy any longer, but she could never hide from the wounds her mom inflicted, as well as knowing John simply didn’t care. Karen would never speak of her dirty habit, but any drug she could get, she’d take, just so she could float or grow numb. She couldn’t lay in bed without the feeling of euphoria because if she were sober, she’d realize she was all alone and had not a single parent who loved her. She wanted to know what the undying love of a mother and father felt like, but she especially wanted to know what the love of a father was like. John didn’t love her, he abandoned her. She couldn’t run to him, and she most definitely couldn’t run to Laurie. Karen missed Doctor Loomis, though she was grateful he wasn’t around to catch on to her own battles. She needed to quit risking her life for euphoria, to not feel any pain, but she couldn’t.

The girl was popular, though, and very much so. She was friends with everyone, and she loved it—her fear of ever being alone again was too great. Karen recalled her boyfriend asking her why she was adopted, to which she replied, ‘ _my mom is a fucking psycho_.’ The girl didn't feel sorry about it either, she meant it, and if it were up to her, she'd never see her again. Whenever she visited her mom, once every few months, Laurie started making up excuses and talking about her paranoid thoughts, but she blocked every word out. If her mom's mouth opened, she shut it out. The world was a wonderful place, and she would never leave it again.

Karen looked down at her black lace-up jazz shoes, then up to the two-story house before her; her home. “I'll see you later Ray.” The girl smiled, and gently kissed the red-haired boy on the lips. Karen waved and walked to the door, jingling her keys to enter the door. She hummed to herself once the door opened, and she grabbed the mail. “Mom? Dad?” the girl's voice echoed, but there was no answer. It was often they ran errands, but both had full time jobs with erratic schedules, so they were most likely busy for the remainder of the night.

Karen shut the door and made her way to the kitchen table, shuffling through envelopes. It was all bills and advertisements, but right as she was about to lay it down, she saw one piece that stuck out. The girl stared at it, noting the envelope had only her name on it. She slid her backpack off and let it hit the floor, then took the single piece upstairs with her. Once she entered her bedroom, she threw herself on her neatly set bed and her black painted nails ripped through the thin paper. Her eyes glazed over it as she read and scoffed. Yet another letter from Laurie.

 

 

> _Karen,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Halloween is coming up and I am having a bad feeling, baby. Please protect yourself and call me if you need me! I hope you are doing fine, but I beg you to watch yourself. Visit me soon, baby?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Love, your mother._
> 
>  

Karen sat up, not feeling so relaxed anymore. She shook her head in disbelief and walked over to her window, opening it. Her hand shuffled into her pocket and she whipped out a lighter. The teen held the note out the window and flicked the lighter, so a steady flame appeared. Karen watched as the flame moved toward the paper and she took pleasure in watching the words slowly shrivel and die. When it burned close to her hand, she let the wind take it away and it flew off as mere debris. “Screw you,” she muttered, slamming the window shut.

Karen slid her jacket and flannel off and onto her bed, digging into the pockets to find a pack of cigarettes. Once she found the pack, she walked to the bathroom. She flicked on the lights and leaned toward the spotless tub, leaving her lighter and pack on the ledge. Her hand grabbed the metal handle, turning it so warm water came out, slowly filling the area. The teen threw her flats out into her room and began to undress herself. After Karen finished, she shut the door and hesitantly made her way to the tub, slowly resting her lithe form into the water. Karen sighed as her skin acclimated with the temperature and she reached over, pulling a cigarette out of the dented pack. She placed the packed paper in her mouth and flicked the lighter to the end. Karen inhaled the smoke and slid herself further in the water, her mind centered on her mom and Halloween. She shook her head and blew the smoke out of her lungs. “Fuck Halloween.”


	23. I Can’t Go On

**_May 19th, 1997_ **

 

Laurie took a shot and cleared her throat, savoring the warmth that spread in her chest. It was the only way she could think. The woman couldn't stop abusing anything to remove the edge of reality. She looked to the ignition and pulled the vehicle into drive in an ambivalent manner. The sky was a deep grey and the clouds pregnant with rage; the sun didn't dare show itself. Her inner turmoil dragged her down as far as it could and offered no serenity. It was maddening. The woman's foot kicked a glass of bourbon aside, placing her foot on the gas pedal. She left her new husband, hungover from the night before, and forced herself to acknowledge the task at hand: her daughter.

She was nervous because she was going to visit Karen for the first time in months. Laurie felt as if she had to prepare a speech just to speak to her, but Karen knew she was a wreck of a human being. The woman had nearly drunk herself to death after Loomis passed, but was able to keep preparing for the worst to preserve what little was left of her sanity. Without the protection of the Doctor, she felt alone and reliant on herself. Laurie expected nothing but the worst, and it clouded anything great that happened.

Her black Nissan truck was littered with alcohol, drafts of letters, and a few rifles she refused to leave the house without. Within a month, her daughter would graduate from Haddonfield High and she wanted to be there, but her marriage and paranoia were holding her back. She had gotten re-married to a man—David Harris—and he, like her, couldn't function without a drink. It was a toxic relationship, but Laurie struggled with feeling alone and tried to find the answer by acclimating herself with others, even if they weren't Michael. If there were anything that could fill the void well enough, Laurie would reach for it, no matter how dark it was.

Karen had known about her remarriage, but only visited once, as there was no wedding. Her daughter immediately despised David, though spared her mom's feelings by acting as if she liked him. The girl knew well her mom was an alcoholic and didn't intend on fixing herself unless something miraculous happened such as Michael Myers dying, even if it meant Laurie killing him herself. As for her future, she was planning to go to a medical school in Haddonfield and focus on being a child psychiatrist, as well as move in with her boyfriend Ray Nelson. She planned her life out and put in place many precautions to avoid the person her mother struggled to shape her into.

Laurie approved of Karen's life and knew she would go down a path of normality, but she still lived with the fear of her daughter being slaughtered by the hands of Michael, the hands of her own father. Her nightmares continued and every day wasn't complete until she had made some other trap or practiced killing Michael in an elaborate manner. Every door in the house was sealed off, even the basement itself was a trap Karen had made years prior. There were days Laurie wished she could wake up and forget it all, but she needed to live in a Michael-less world, if that were to ever happen. It took another twenty minutes before she reached the foster home Karen resided at and she reached forward, taking another sip of brandy before she left the vehicle. Laurie took a deep breath and exited the car, shutting the door behind her. She walked toward the door, but as she was about to knock, her daughter opened it with a pissed expression. It was evident she wanted to end the meeting as soon as it began.

“You've got an hour, come in,” she said coldly, holding open the door. Karen made her way to the couch and plopped herself on it, skimming through the TV channels to avoid small talk. Her foster parents never stayed in the house when they knew Laurie was visiting, but she wished they did, so she wouldn't have to talk to her mom in depth. Laurie only served as a reminder of her past, and she so desperately wanted to abandon it.

Laurie uncomfortably sat on the couch and bit her lip, looking to the television, then to her daughter. “Baby, can you turn off the TV and look at me?” She caught an urge to have another drink, but she had to pull herself together. Her daughter was already disappointed in her.

Karen rolled her eyes and raised the remote, turning the device off. She turned over and looked to her mom, who reeked of alcohol, and it angered her. “You've been drinking,” she inculpated, loathing the utter weakness of her mom. Parents were supposed to be superheroes, not feeble individuals, or so she thought. “Let me guess, David's hungover as fuck right now and you drove over here thinking you'd get me to talk to you.” When her mom rolled in wanting to abruptly solve everything when she couldn't even solve herself, Karen had an urge to slap her. Her drinking drove her mad and the mere sight of her face bothered her. She was not her mom, just a very broken person. Karen rose from the couch and walked to the kitchen, coolly grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

The elder's heart raced. To have her daughter disappointed in her hurt, but what hurt more was seeing Karen grow up, and her not being there to see it. She’d grown into a beautiful woman and with age, looked very much like Michael, more so than before. Laurie had contemplated telling Karen her true parentage, but she couldn't find the inner strength to do it. Those eyes, those green eyes, were just like the ones she remembered, and it was hard to continue lying to them. Whether it was her yearning for Michael or her guilt, she couldn't bear to say it. Laurie mustered the courage to follow the girl into the kitchen and stood opposite of her, a counter being the only barrier between them. “I'm not asking for much. I know you hate me, Karen, but please listen to me,” Laurie pleaded. “I don't ever want to see you hurt, and I'd be a bad mother if I didn't try to protect you.”

 _“Protect me?”_ Karen chuckled. “You thought you were protecting me? What from? Your own paranoia or the boogeyman?” She shook her head, unable to swallow the insensitivity of the woman. “You're a bad mother because you ruined me emotionally.” There were nights she couldn't sleep because memories of her fighting for her life sunk in like lesions. She could still feel the rawness of her knuckles after kickboxing until she could no longer breathe. It was awful to learn how to kill in more than one way, but it was further awful to know it was her own mother that impelled such behavior.

Suddenly, the room was filled with the humming of the refrigerator, and both mother and daughter looked to each other, trying to decipher what the other wanted.

“That night,” Karen mused, “you were trapped in a closet, weren't you? The boogeyman was trying to desperately kill you, wasn't he?”

Laurie felt herself at a loss, and her heart faltered. “Karen, wha—”

“That scar on your arm. He tried to stab you with a knife, didn't he?” the girl demanded.

“Karen—”

“Didn't he, mom!? Didn't he!?” Karen commanded, her patience for her mother ending snappishly. She wouldn't let the woman before her continue to believe her monstrous parenting was justified.

Laurie gulped, flashes of the night replaying in her mind. She wondered what switch had flipped in Karen that made her interested in the night of terror. “Yes.”

Adrenaline rushed through the girl's veins as she looked to a drawer and slid it open, grabbing the largest, sharpest knife she saw. She held it up and looked back to the woman, eager to earn some sort of pleasure upon frightening her. “This is what he followed you around with right? _RIGHT?”_ Karen huffed, moving away from the counter, and closer to her mother. The girl's eyes were wild with fury and she continued to hold the knife high, proudly. She wanted to bask in the fear in those weak eyes.

“Karen,” Laurie shook, taking a step back, having no clue as to if her daughter would hurt her. “Please put that thing down.”

“He flung it at you, didn't he? He was trying to kill you by that couch and in that house, wasn't he? Do you remember?”

The woman's eyes widened, and she continued to back up, gazing at the glare of the knife. Laurie looked to Karen in the fear the teen coveted, facing the same crazed eyes she had that very night. She remembered, and she was reliving it just as Karen intended.

Suddenly, the girl swung, bringing the knife down in a slashing motion, but the blade never contacted Laurie. She inched closer. “It was just like that, wasn't it?”

“KAREN! PUT IT DOWN!” Laurie screamed, backing from the girl who now seemed a stranger. She couldn't think, she could only witness the sudden madness.

Karen made one last stabbing motion at her mom, this time barely missing her. She lowered the knife and looked to her terrified mother, the crazed look fading, and her chest rising and falling with the release she felt. She walked forward and grabbed her mom's trembling hands, firmly placing the knife in between them. Karen lifted Laurie's hands and aimed the knife to herself before backing away. “How you felt that night? That's how I feel whenever you try to re-enter my life.”

Laurie gaped, and the sting of a tear ran down her cheek. She was shaking, horrified by the memories and her daughter, but also herself. The woman dropped the knife and it made a loud cling as it fell between the two. She looked to Karen and gulped, feeling her heart die a little as she grasped the violent truth that one monster created another. That monster was _her_.

“What is it, mom? What's so important that you had to ruin my life and yours over?” The boogeyman may have been real, but her mother was her personal Michael Myers that haunted her every waking day.

Laurie licked her bottom lip, for she couldn't say a thing. She couldn't confess Michael was her father. Her daughter leaned forward, doubtful.

“Mom, what was your goal? For me to fear Michael Myers?” She observed the aged face. “Or to kick his ass? Was it that you wanted to drive me insane, like you?”

Laurie's eyes welled up in tears, and she desperately grabbed Karen's arm. “No, no, no! Baby, that wasn't what I wanted! If Michael ever came back, I wanted you to be prepared to face the dangers of him and this world!” She felt like a monster in her own skin. Moments like these she did question her parenting, but there was no other way when their lives were in danger. Any second Michael breathed was a second they were at risk.

Karen snatched her arm back in disgust. Her face became hot with all the sadness and rage she kept buried beneath. “Is that it!? _Really?”_ she screamed, a fresh tear falling. “Because you've fucked me up! You've fucked me up to the point where I cannot dream without your stupid stories! I hated being some killing machine!” The teen turned her head and let it hang. “The world is beautiful, but you think you can just come in and make it a living hell.” Her arms opened and she motioned to their surroundings. “This is your hell, but it shouldn't be mine.”

“Karen—” she was cut short by the distraught girl.

“I need you to leave. I hope I never see you again, so don't you dare show your face at my graduation or any time soon. You don't understand, mom, and you never will.” She walked to the door flustered, not sure if she really wanted her mother to leave her. Karen had thought with all the friends she had she wouldn't feel this alone, but she was still empty. She had no father and a beyond dysfunctional mother who would never change. There were no justifications for the hell Laurie put her through, and she hoped one day her mom would find the strength to face her problems and not attempt to find answers in a bottle.

Laurie gulped, understanding there would be no reasoning with her, and that there never would be. Michael Myers was real to her, and the horror of it killed her, yet she failed to realize her pain resonated with Karen, and deeply so. The woman stood, fresh tears continuing to sting her cheek, but none amounted to the sting of her daughter's hurt. Her legs walked to the open door in defeat, but before she left, she gazed into Karen's eyes and didn't move. Laurie observed every detail of her face. She was unmistakably Michael's daughter, but she'd never know. “I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry.”

 

✳✳✳

 

“Your unsuccessful marriage continued for a few years, as did Karen's life without you. She married Ray in 2000, and in 2001 she gave birth to her daughter Allyson, which you weren't a part of. As Allyson grew, you told her stories about Michael to scare her, and she took a liking to you that Karen never possessed again. Allyson loved her mother, but she also loved you. She could see both sides of the story. She grew up caught in the crossfire between her mother and grandmother. Allyson hated seeing you hurt and hated knowing her mom hurt as well. You divorced David in 2002 and worked different jobs to make ends meet.” Barker flipped a page, and only one remained. This was the end of the story thus far. “Today is November 5th, 2018, five days after Michael's last attack. Forty years ago, you met a boy you fell in love with, and you found it to be the best and worst times of your life.” The man stood and held the file, pushing his chair in with a grin. “Well congratulations, Ms. Strode. Our recap is over. Now, it is up to you to continue your life without Michael being a part of it. You have successfully rid the world of the evil Loomis wanted gone.” He held out his hand.

Laurie nodded and shook it, feeling odd about the abrupt conclusion. The details of five nights ago were recorded, and now her relationship with her daughter was restored, but she still didn't know the story, and it was about time she did. “Thank you, Sheriff Barker.” Once he left the room, she sharply inhaled, thinking of Karen and Allyson, who waited in the next room. They were both okay, and both helped her in ending Myers for good. The woman stood, knowing her next mission. The truth.

“Grandma, are you alright?” Allyson quipped as Laurie walked into the room, rising from her chair. Both her and her mother were skeptical as to what took so long and what the sheriff needed to know. They were just glad to see her, though.

Laurie smiled and held her arms out to her granddaughter, embracing her in a hug, which was gladly returned. “I'm better than alright.”

“What did he have to say?” Karen questioned, also rising from her seat.

Laurie bit her lip, and her heart pounded. “It's more of what I have to tell you, both of you.” Now was her chance, she just hoped they'd forgive her.

The woman drove the two back to their home to escape the tense environment of the police station. Once they entered, she was adamant they sat down and got comfortable. Laurie was now willing to tell her story to those that needed to hear it most.

“Mom, what's wrong? Is it you? Is it Michael?” Karen arched a brow, looking to the clock to grasp how much time had passed.

“Both,” Laurie stated. “Now, I need you two to listen. Before I begin, I owe both of you an apology.” She wasn't sure of how she'd be able to verbalize it, but she had to.

“But why? You hurt yourself, not us,” Allyson murmured.

Laurie tried to calm herself. “I've lied to you both, for years. Before both of you were born. I could never find a way to say it, but it’s about time I do.” She looked to her granddaughter, then her daughter tensely. Would they look at her the same or would she be shut out?

“Mom, you're scaring me, what is it?”

Laurie looked to Karen and grabbed her hand, motioning Allyson to come forward and hold her hand as well. “We are Strode women, we are strong, and we will always be there for each other. I've acted the way I have because there was more than a single attack on Haddonfield that brought me to where I am.” She took a deep breath, it was now or never. “Now, I have something to show you both.”

Karen tensed as her mother reached into a pocket and grabbed a Polaroid photo. She watched in anticipation as the woman held out the photo for them to see. Instantly, her heart fluttered, and she couldn't figure out why. “Mom, what is this?”

It was Laurie, a young Laurie smiling with a boy, but this boy didn't look ordinary. He was handsome, had brown hair and sharp green eyes; he looked mysterious.

Allyson looked to her grandma, who appeared to be staring at the photo in nostalgia. “Who is he?”

“I have a story to tell, a story that defined my life. Until now,” she croaked. Laurie held both close and continued to stare at the photo. “This story is mine and Michael's. That's him right there, before things came to how we know it.”

Allyson's throat grew dry, and her body felt stiff. There was no way she was serious. Michael had been evil his whole life, and she bet he didn't appear approachable like the boy in the picture. To her, the photo was of two people who seemed happy with each other. “Grandma, what—what are you saying right now?”

Laurie let a tear fall. “I am sorry, I am so sorry I never told either of you, it was wrong of me.” She looked to Karen, feeling she especially owed her an apology. “Karen, Michael is your father.”

 


	24. Slave to Fear (Epilogue)

**_“Mom,” Karen trembled_** , not wanting her to fall back into bad habits after doing so well. “I think you should go to bed, you're not thinking straight.” She stood abruptly, knowing it was only wishful thinking her mother would have been sane after Michael was gone. Her hands anxiously wrapped around her arms and she looked to Allyson, who was frantically looking to her for an answer, but she had none. Karen hadn't a clue if Laurie was chronically ill, or having a psychotic break.

“Karen, I know very well what I said,” Laurie stated firmly. There was no way she was stopping now. Karen needed to know the truth, which would hopefully be easier to accept with Michael gone.

“John was my father and you know it!” Her volume increased with her frustration. She couldn't accept it, whether it was the truth or not. Karen had a faather, and Michael was not him. “Please, just get to bed before you say something else you don't mean.” Karen went to grab Laurie's arm, but she pulled away in pain. Her mother shot a pleading look, and her mind raced. A killer wasn't her blood, and the situation wasn't probable. She could never have been conceived without Michael having Laurie, and that left many questions. How could she have met him before, or was she raped? Karen shook, pushing the thought away.

“Karen, did you really think he was your father? You were only one when you met him, you didn't know any better than what I told you.” Laurie pat the seat next to her. “I know this is hard to accept, it always has been for me, but please let me explain for once in my life what happened.”

“Grandma, why wouldn't you tell me that, and why wouldn't you tell her!?” Allyson scooted further away. She had seen what Michael did to her friends. Her skin nearly crawled knowing it had some of Michael in it. “I don't want to believe some serial killer is my grandfather!”

“Allyson, I never wanted to hide for this long, but just let me explain.” Laurie looked to Karen, who seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack. “Karen, sit.” Once the woman did, she continued. “You both need to understand I never told this story not because I regret it happening, but because I felt guilty. I loved him, but you need to listen to understand.” She stopped to see a tear fall down Karen's cheek, and her hand reached forward to grab her daughter's. It broke her heart to see, yet again, more damage done to Karen. “Baby, it is not as bad as it seems. Let me tell you who the real Michael was.”

There was a moment of silence, and all three held their breaths.

“When I was in junior year, I was a part of National Honors Society.” She playfully nudged Allyson, breaking her concentration for just a moment. “And being a part of NHS, I wanted to get my hours in, but while doing something I liked, and that happened to be psychiatry. I found Smith's Grove and went out of my way to volunteer there. That's where I met Marion Chambers and Doctor Loomis. Loomis feared his patient escaping and his fear worried me. I was hesitant until I met patients and saw him.” The woman paused. “I was intrigued by him. He didn't speak, he just stared, but I knew there was more.”

“How? How could you be interested in someone who didn't do anything?” Allyson asked. She moved a red lock behind her ear and gulped, still in denial.

Laurie looked to her granddaughter and gave a smirk. “He reacted over time, and I knew he listened whenever I spoke. It took months, but I saw this spark in his eyes. It was three months of working four days a week until he finally looked at me and spoke...” she trailed, remembering the first stare clearly.

Karen's breath hitched, and her hands gripped the couch. “Mom, please, stop lying. Michael does not speak, and he certainly is not capable of whatever spark you're talking about.” She then gripped her hair and heard a ringing from the echo of her mother's words. The woman's eyes went to her daughter, who had as much panic, if not more. Allyson believed Laurie, and Karen began to realize none of it was a joke; it was a logical explanation as to why her mother acted the way she had, and for so long. Why had it been this game of predator and prey with Laurie being the same objective, even forty years later? Why had she always been in danger just because of her blood? Karen looked to her hands and held them in front of her. She felt as if she were evil as well.

“Karen, baby, don't think about that mask. Right now, I'm asking you to put that aside and recognize the boy I knew. Michael the killer is not your father.” She looked to Allyson and bit her lip. “I want you to know that too.” The woman pushed back a strand of her white-blonde hair and continued. “Michael spoke. It began as small, trivial things such as hellos, his name, then Nurse Chambers went behind Loomis' back to let us continue to speak. She thought I was saving him…she was right. We began to grow comfortable with each other, so I started to catch him up with the world he'd been away from for fifteen years. Then, the first kiss happened, and it didn't stop from there.” She smiled, remembering how wonderful it felt to finally kiss the boy's warm lips. “Michael cared about me, always wanted to make sure I was okay, but I worried about him more. I never questioned him because I didn't want to make him feel unsafe. He didn't talk to anyone but me, and I felt I had a responsibility to never hurt him.” Her eyes became dark, and they lost any implication of happiness. “But I did. I hurt him so badly, I lost him to the dark side.”

Allyson noted the pained look upon her face, and her chest felt as if it were weighed down by boulders. “Grandma? What did you do to him?”

“I tried to help him fight his own demons, because I knew he had plenty of them, but October 27th, 1978 we'd finally reached a point where we wanted to prove ourselves to each other and took our love a step further.” Laurie shivered upon the memory and her tear ducts were provoked. “Little did I know that was when Karen was conceived, and when I realized I hurt him. I selfishly took him for myself, and never let him belong to anyone else but me.”

Karen felt faint, but nonetheless remained awake. She felt ants crawling over her body, and it made her want to pull out every fiber of her being and leave it for dead, until nothing remained. It wasn't that she was ignorant of the unknown side of Michael, she just recognized that she was still the child of that man, the man who had threatened her life and her family. The man who killed her own husband for not a single reason at all except for the fact he lived to kill.

Laurie looked to Karen sympathetically, a wave of everything she felt years ago piling on her. A tear broke free and fell down her cheek, and others followed suit. “Baby, I'm so sorry,” she breathed, reaching forward to tightly embrace the woman, holding onto her as if the wind would float her away. Her arms remained wrapped around her daughter, and she continued, using the strength of the embrace. “I-I had to hide my pregnancy after the night he attacked, also the night I found out I was pregnant. My parents forced me to go back to school and try to maintain grades. I had to go home every night without sleep. I always talked to you about Michael, because I knew when you were born, I wouldn't ever want you to know. Then came the rumors of us being related just to calm hysteria. I left with my Aunt for college and left all of Haddonfield thinking I was sick. When I had you, Karen, I took you with me and after meeting John there, I started a life with him in hopes of starting over and giving you a normal life...but I still loved Michael.”

Her tears flowed in a steady stream and she clung to Karen, whose sobs also became more aggressive.

“I was addicted to any drug I could find, and I was struggling with my eating. My eating disorder and addiction got worse after my parents died. John divorced me because he felt guilty. John never wanted to lie to you about being your father, but I made him, and he left me because he wanted me to try for you. I only realized how vulnerable I was, and how vulnerable I’d left you. I made you do all those things just to protect you from Michael.” Laurie held Karen as she cried. “Baby, I love you, and I'm sorry I ever hurt you. But I don't regret loving Michael, when he was still himself. You were born out of love, and I would do it all over again if I had you.” She would do it all again if it meant never leaving Michael for dead and having a life with him as well.

Allyson wiped her clouded eyes and sniffed, watching the two. She'd never seen her mom so emotionally exposed to Laurie. Her mind went back to when Doctor Sartain forced her in the backseat of the car with Michael's unmasked form. When she looked back to see the masked face staring at her, while kicking his own Doctor into the steering wheel, nearly crushing his chest. The man never touched her, though she ran before it could happen. It was strange knowing that very man was her grandfather. “Do you still love him?” she croaked. “Did-Did he still love you, even forty years later?”

Laurie sniffled and looked to the girl, reaching for her to join the embrace. Once the girl was safely in her arms, she closed her eyes contently. “I will always love the Michael I knew, but that Michael died. He died the moment I kissed him goodbye. If he didn't have me to save him, he had no one.”

Allyson looked forward, processing her words. “And if you two never parted? If you never left him and he never went...psycho?” The words fell out of her mouth, feeling her curiosity spike at the notorious Haddonfield killer. She wanted to hear his voice, know what he thought.

“Things wouldn't have been as badas they were. I would've liked to keep him in my life and get him to leave Smith's Grove,” Laurie croaked. She always dreamed of if things were different. Michael could have grown comfortable enough to remove himself from the evil within, and he could've had the opportunity to be a father to Karen, a grandfather to Allyson. Laurie never would have gone on with the problems she did, because Michael would've been there, and he would've cared about her too deeply to let it happen. The Michael she knew never would have given up on her, and Laurie never would've stopped eating, take drugs she didn't need, or resort to men and alcohol.

“Did he know, mom?” Karen cried, holding onto her mom, now looking at her as a lifeline. She was the new Loomis; the one who knew Michael best. But he was dead. There was no way he could hurt them any longer.

“No, I told Loomis to never let him know.” She laid her head on top of her daughter's. The evil was gone, and her life was beginning again.

_Ring_

Laurie arched a brow and looked to the clock, reading 1:00 am on it. She hesitantly stood and told both Allyson and Karen she'd be back. The woman almost didn't want to pick up the phone at this hour, and it took a moment before she could make it to the phone and hold it in her cold hands. “Hello?”

“This is the Warren County Police Department, we were wondering if Laurie Strode is around?” a man answered nervously, as if he were in a rush.

“Speaking,” the woman answered cautiously. She twirled a lock of her hair in her fingers and bit her lip, wondering what they could want.

“This is uh—Sheriff Walker and we were just calling to inform you to stay safe.”

“Excuse me?” Laurie replied passionately.

“Well, we finally finished checking through the burnt down rubble and debris of your old home and well, um, we found no sign of Michael in the basement.” The sheriff shook. “We looked for hours around every room, every piece, and we have every right to believe he escaped. There was his blood along the top of the trap and ripped bars.”

Laurie's heart stopped beating. Her throat fell, along with her heart, and both laid uncomfortably in her stomach. The hand holding the phone dropped it and twitched before going limp. Her skin prickled with a feeling of imprisonment, and her mind reached the darkest place she'd known. She truly couldn't live, even when she thought Michael dead. He would haunt her forever. This game of predator and prey would never leave her.

“Mom?” Karen asked worriedly. She jumped off the sofa and made her way toward the inanimate woman.

Laurie gulped and she lowered herself to her knees, then looked to the ceiling, as if accepting defeat. She inhaled and clenched her eyes shut, giving a throaty scream until her throat went raw.

He would live forever, or as long as Laurie lived. Michael would be a constant reminder. The shape wouldn't stop until she was dead, just like Michael, and she would be haunted to get the slightest glimpse of any truth. But even in death, there would be no escape.

 

_Walls have ears._

_Doors have eyes._

_Trees have voices._

_Beasts tell lies._

_Beware the rain._

_Beware the snow._

_Beware the man_

_You think you know._


End file.
